Displaying items by tag: trade

US/Colombia: Colombia-based Cementos Argos is carrying out expansions to two cement plants in South Carolina and West Virginia. While not specifically named, these would appear to be the 1.1Mt/yr Harleyville and 1.8Mt/yr Martinsburg cement plants. The producer says that the expansions will increase its cement capacity in the eastern US by 450,000t/yr.

Additionally, Cementos Argos plans to expand the capacity of its Cartagena cement terminal in Colombia by 35% to 4Mt/yr. The producer says that this will serve as a platform for subsequent growth. It is targeting the US market, where an expansion is also underway at its import facility in Houston, Texas. The Cartagena terminal achieved its current capacity following a recent US$42m expansion.

Pakistan: Cement producers in Northern Pakistan have reported a 13% drop in the price of coal to US$126/t. The Pakistan Today newspaper has reported that this is due to the Afghan government lowering taxes on exports of coal from Afghanistan. The Taliban reduced its royalties on coal exports by 12% to US$30/t. Meanwhile, it reduced customs duties on coal exports by 33%, also to US$30/t.

Northern Pakistan is comprised of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. In 2022, regional cement plants were over 70% reliant on Afghan coal. That year, they paid coal prices of US$170 – 200/t.

Gambia: Heidelberg Materials has sold its business in the Gambia to iron and steel products company B5 Plus. The business consists of the Banjul cement terminal. Heidelberg Materials says that it will continue to supply West African customers through its operations in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia and Togo. The company sold its subsidiary in Sierra Leone in 2021.

Europe: The EU has enacted the implementing regulation for the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) under its emissions trading scheme (ETS). Under the CBAM, importers of cement to the EU will eventually pay taxes for its embedded CO₂ emissions, equivalent to those levied against EU-based producers. Importers must begin to collect emissions data from 1 October 2023, and submit a report for the fourth quarter of 2023 to EU authorities by 31 January 2024. No financial adjustment will yet be payable during the transition period to full CBAM implementation from the start of 2026.

The Asset newspaper has reported that dedicated IT tools and training materials for importers affected by the CBAM are currently in development, according to the European Commission.

Philippines: Taiheiyo Cement Philippines plans to install a second production line at its 0.8Mt/yr San Fernando cement plant in Cebu. The Philippines Department of Trade and industry says that the new line will more than double the plant’s capacity to 3Mt/yr. It will also entail an upgrade to reduce its total energy-related CO2 emissions by 10%. The Philippine Daily Enquirer newspaper has reported that the producer will additionally build a 700,000t/yr terminal at Calaca in Batangas. The facility will cost US$68.4m. Altogether, the company expects its growth plans to generate 2000 new jobs in the Philippines. The Philippines government has committed 6% of gross domestic product (GDP) to infrastructure investments annually.

Taiheiyo Cement Philippines previously indicated in August 2022 that the San Fernando cement plant might eventually expand to a capacity of 5Mt/yr. At that time, it expected to commission the new Line 2 in May 2024.

Special trade representative to the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre in Tokyo, Dita Angara-Mathay, said "The company's latest announcement materialises its plans to expand to Luzon from its long-time base in the Visayan region."

Pakistan: Lucky Cement has won the KCCI Export Trophy for its performance in the cement export market during the 2021 financial year. The News International newspaper has reported that the company relied on its 24,000t-capacity Karachi cement terminal to ship cement to markets across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Chief executive officer Muhammed Ali Tabba said "This modern facility allows the company to excel in exporting break bulk and containerised shipments." He continued "Our focus is on implementing advanced manufacturing technologies to enhance technical capabilities and operational efficiencies. A diversified business portfolio has helped us strengthen the country's industrial base, enabling us to develop a larger manufacturing footprint and seize opportunities for growth both in local and international markets."

Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA) has called for a 60% cut to duties on clinker imports, to US$1.84/t from US$4.61/t. The Financial Express newspaper has reported that BCMA members are struggling with high shipping costs and supply issues due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Bangladesh government published plans to raise the duty on imports of clinker by 40% to US$6.46/t in its 2023 budget on 13 June 2023.

Myanmar: The new port of Sittwe in Rakhine State, which opened on 9 May 2023, has received a shipment of 20,000 bags of Indian cement. Press Trust of India News has reported that the shipment left Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, West Bengal, in May 2023.

Fiji: The Construction Industry Council of Fiji (CIC) has named cement among possible 'questionable' building materials being imported that are below Fijian quality standards. The Fiji Times newspaper has reported that CIC president Gordon Jenkins called on authorities to implement better quality checks at points of entry. Jenkins named South Korea as a current source of low-price cement, which he said buyers do not know is 'good or not.'

India: The government of Andhra Pradesh broke ground on the construction of the 35.1Mt/yr-capacity Machilipatnam Port in Krishna District on 22 May 2023. The New Indian Express newspaper has reported that the project is scheduled for completion in mid-2025. When operational, the Port will handle despatches of cement and clinker by local producers.