Displaying items by tag: Production
Santa Cruz sees record high for cement production
16 April 2024Bolivia: National cement production reached a record 4Mt in 2023, despite a noted decline in exports, according to the Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE). Santa Cruz contributed 27.4% to the total cement output, followed closely by La Paz with 26.8%, and Chuquisaca at 18.3%. According to Noticias Financieras News, this output is largely due to investments by cement companies in Santa Cruz, such as Itacamba's US$220m investment in a new plant in 2016, which has a production capacity of 870,000t/yr. Other firms like Soboce and Fancesa have also invested in the region. The construction industry in Santa Cruz grew by 3% in 2023, although this was a decrease in growth rate compared to previous years.
Cement production in Switzerland falls in first quarter
10 April 2024Switzerland: Cement production fell to 786,000t in the first quarter of 2024, representing a year-on-year decrease in volume of 8%. Cemsuisse attributes this decrease to ongoing challenges in planning construction projects amidst uncertainties in interest rates, energy prices and supply chain stability.
Uzbekistan records rise in cement production
08 April 2024Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan produced 1.35Mt of cement in January and February 2024. This production volume shows a year-on-year increase of 50%. In February 2024, the country produced 724,700t of cement.
Cement production in Poland declines in 2023
04 April 2024Poland: The Polish Cement Association reported a 12% fall in cement production in 2023, with output reaching 16.6Mt, according to data from the Central Statistical Office. The decline reflects challenges faced by the construction sector amidst a slowing economy, despite a slight GDP growth of over 0.2%.
Zbigniew Pilch, chief marketing officer of the association, said "2023 was a difficult year for the construction sector as the economy slowed down while GDP grew by a little over 0.2%." The initial data for 2024 suggests a potential rebound in the Polish cement industry, however, with Pilch adding "In February 2024, cement production totalled 1.2Mt, which represents a 33% year-on-year increase.”
Cimpor becomes sixth cement producer in Cameroon
26 March 2024Cameroon: Cimpor has begun operation of a new cement plant in the industrial and port area of Kribi, Cameroon. The plant has a production capacity of 1Mt/yr. Cimpor's entry makes it the sixth active cement producer in Cameroon, nine years after the end of a 48-year monopoly held by Cimencam, a subsidiary of Lafarge Holcim Maroc Afrique (LHMA).
Cameroon's first competitor was Dangote Cement Cameroon (1.5Mt/yr), followed by Morocco's Cimaf (1.5Mt/yr with the completion of the Douala plant extension), Mira Company (1.5Mt/yr), and Medcem Cameroon, a subsidiary of Turkey's Eren Holding (0.6Mt/yr).
With Cimpor's arrival, Cameroon's annual cement production capacity reaches 8.4Mt/yr, enough to satisfy the national demand, estimated at approximately 8Mt/yr. However, Cameroonian citizens still consider the cost of a 50kg cement bag high compared to countries with similar production levels.
Pakistan: Fauji Cement Company Limited (FCCL) reports that it has become the country's third-largest cement producer by capacity, after expanding its annual production from 3.6Mt/yr to 10.6Mt/yr. The company achieved this through strategic mergers and capacity increases at its Nizampur and DG Khan plants, enhancing its industry presence and pushing into the southern market.
JS Global reports that FCCL's growth strategy includes a strong focus on cost optimisation. Operational efficiency has improved with a shift to more economical fuel sources, such as local and Afghan coal, and increased reliance on self-generated power, now at 60%. The addition of an 11MW solar plant in Nizampur and waste heat recovery plants has boosted FCCL's green energy capacity to 40MW, substantially lowering costs.
This strategy is expected to strengthen financial health in future quarters. Financial results for the second quarter of the 2024 financial year show profits of US$9.7m.
Uruguayan cement production drops in 2023
15 February 2024Uruguay: Uruguay produced 27% less cement in 2023 than in 2022. Prensa Latina News has reported that state-owned Ancap, which operates two of the country’s four cement plants, reported a year-on-year drop in production of 29%, to 21,700t, in December 2023. The company’s least productive month in terms of volumes was June 2023, when it recorded 8570t.
Hetauda Cement Industry resumes production
07 February 2024Nepal: Hetauda Cement Industry has resumed cement production after a three-month cessation since late 2023. The company stopped making cement due to coal shortages, according to the República newspaper. General manager Basant Raj Pandey said that future stoppages were now unlikely, as the company had secured a regular supply of coal. The company is also conducting negotiations with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to install new equipment and provide subsidies for the purchase of raw materials such as coal.
US: US cement plants produced 91Mt of cement in 2023, according to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This corresponds to a year-on-year decline of 2.2% from 93Mt in 2022. The figure places the US in fourth globally in cement production volumes, behind China with 2.1Bnt (in line with 2022 levels), India with 410Mt (up by 7.9% year-on-year) and Vietnam with 110Mt (down by 8.3%).
Azerbaijan grows its cement production by 4.6% in 2023
26 January 2024Azerbaijan: Cement production in Azerbaijan increased by 4.6% year-on-year to 3.73Mt in 2023, data from the State Statistics Committee has shown. Clinker production rose even more sharply, by 37%, to 3.87Mt. BNI IntelliNews has reported growth of 32% year-on-year in the overall value of building materials in 2023, to US$694m.