Global Cement News

Nepal: Surendra Prasad Paudel has resigned as the general manager of Udayapur Cement following his appointment as the head of the Nepal Oil Corporation. Paudel became the head of the cement producer in February 2018, according to the Kathmandu Post newspaper. The chartered accountant improved the financial situation at the company, reporting a profit in the last financial year and clearing debts.

Saudi Arabia: Tabuk Cement has appointed Ali bin Mohammed Al-Saif Al-Qahtani as its new general manager. It follows the resignation of Ali Bin Mohameha Al-Asmari. Al-Qahtani holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from King Saud University and worked for a variety of companies including Saudi Aramco.

Tunisia: United Cement Investor will start building a new 1.5Mt/yr cement plant at Bir Thlathin in southern Tataouine in March 2019. The project has a cost of around US$320m, according to the Agency Tunis Afrique Press. Local investment will total around US$95m. The project is expected to create 419 direct jobs and 600 indirect jobs.

ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions (France) has been involved with the project. Investment is coming from local, UAE-based and German financiers.

Bangladesh: Chhatak Cement plans to spend US$106m on building a new dry production line at its plant near Dhaka. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2021, according to the Financial Express newspaper. The subsidiary of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) plans to finance the upgrade with a US$63m loan from the government. The plant is currently using equipment that is up to 80 years old. At present it has a production capacity of 70,000t/yr despite upgrades in the 1980s and 2000.

Pakistan: Shariq Siddiqui, chief executive officer (CEO) of Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT), forecasts that coal imports for cement producers will rise to 10Mt/yr in 2020 from 8Mt/yr at present. This growth will be driven by new cement production capacity that is being commissioned, according to the News International newspaper. Overall, total coal imports are expected to grow to 30Mt/yr in 2020 driven by new coal-fired power stations.