Global Cement News

Oman: Plans to build a cement plant in Oman's northern city of Al Duqm are progressing, with the promoters starting to identify limestone mines in the area. The project, which will have a production capacity of 3-4Mt/yr, is aimed at enhancing the availability of cement in the country to meet additional demand arising from major government-supported infrastructure projects and other construction activities.

Sources said that the Duqm cement project will be promoted by a well established 100% Omani firm, which will carry out exports through Duqm port. "It is going to be a very big project. The cement plant will be set up in coordination with the port," said a source.

Presently, the two cement producers in the country, Raysut Cement and Oman Cement, have a combined capacity of 4.7Mt/yr. However, if the capacity of Raysut's Ras Al Khaimah, UAE-based Pioneer Cement Industries is included, the total installed capacity is much higher at 6.4Mt/yr. An important advantage for the proposed cement plant is the rich deposits of limestone in the region.

In a recent forecast Raysut predicted that the construction industry in Oman would grow to US$5bn by 2016 at an average rate of 6%/yr. It supported this assertion with the news that a number of formerly suspended programmes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been reinstated. However, the group added that cement supplies in Oman remain under 'significant' pressure from imports from UAE. It is estimated that UAE has an overcapacity of cement of around 65%. Raysut also expects that demand in Yemen and east Africa will aid the company.

Denmark: The Danish cement plant manufacturer FLSmidth & Co. A/S has continued strong growth in both revenue and order intake over the nine month period to 30 September 2012. The company's full year revenue guidance has been maintained, based on expectations of strong revenue generation in the fourth quarter.

In the third quarter of 2012 FLSmidth's order intake increased by 11% to Euro1.07bn from Euro962m in the third quarter of 2011. Revenue increased by 23% year-on-year to Euro847m from Euro688m and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 6% to Euro95.1m from Euro89.7m. The profit for the period decreased by 6% to Euro50.6m from Euro54.1m in the third quarter of 2011.

Over the nine months to 30 September 2012 FLSmidth's order intake increased by 19% year-on-year to Euro2.90bn from Euro2.44bn and its order backlog increased by 13% to Euro4.18bn. Revenue for the nine months increased by 23% to Euro2.25bn. Nine month EBITDA was up by 16% to Euro204m. Profit for the period decreased by 3% to Euro113m.

FLSmidth has maintained its full year revenue guidance for continuing activities of Euro3.35-3.48bn. Cash flow from investing activities (exclusive of acquisitions and their subsequent capital expenditure needs) is expected to amount to Euro102.9m in 2012 due to investments in service supercentres and expansion of manufacturing in India and China.

Oman: Raysut Cement has reported that its profit before tax rose by 62% to US$49.4m for the first nine months of 2012. This compares to US$30.7m for the same period in 2011. Oman's biggest cement producer has attributed the increase to higher sales volumes of cement and better price 'realisation'.

Raysut Cement's revenue for the first nine months of 2012 rose by 12% to US$183m, compared to US$163m in 2011. The group's subsidiary Pioneer Cement reported a profit of US$9.79m in 2012 compared to US$3.87m in 2011.

The group produced 2.83Mt of cement in the first nine months of 2012, an increase of 21% year-on-year compared to 2.33Mt in 2011. It produced 2.63Mt of clinker, an increase of 4% year-on-year compared to 2.53Mt in 2011. The group sold 2.84Mt of cement during the first nine months of 2012, compared to 2.40Mt in 2011.

In its forecast Raysut predicted that the construction industry in Oman would grow to US$5bn by 2016 at an average rate of 6%. It supported this assertion with the news that a number of formerly suspended programmes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been reinstated. Yet the group added that cement supplies in Oman remain under 'significant' pressure from imports from UAE. It is estimated that UAE has an overcapacity of cement of around 65%. Raysut also expects that demand in Yemen and east Africa will aid the company.

France: Lafarge has reported that its sales have risen by 4% to Euro4.39bn in the first nine months of 2012, compared to Euro4.21bn in the same period of 2011. However, the French multinational cement producer's profits are still suffering due to restructuring charges and an impairment in the second quarter. So far in 2012 Lafarge's net income has fallen by 44% to Euro332m from Euro596m. For the third quarter of 2012 net income fell by 5% to Euro319m from Euro336m.

Lafarge's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for its cement business rose by 5% for the first nine months of 2012 to Euro2.22bn from Euro2.08bn in 2011. Cement sales increased by 3% to Euro7.90bn from Euro7.49bn. Cement volumes declined by 2% to 106Mt from 109Mt. For the third quarter of 2012 cement volumes declined by 4% year-on-year to 36.6Mt from 38.2Mt in 2011. Lafarge attributed this to the construction slowdown in Europe, unfavourable third quarter weather conditions in the central United States and the sale of some of its US assets to Eagle Materials in October 2012.

"Our actions to generate sales growth and cash, reduce debt and improve returns led to a fourth consecutive quarter of positive trends even in a lower growth volume environment. These actions will accelerate as we implement Euro550m of innovation and cost savings initiatives in 2013 of our four year, Euro1.75bn additional EBITDA plan," said Bruno Lafont, chairman and chief executive officer of Lafarge.

By region cement volumes declined by 10% in north America to 4.1Mt year-on-year in the third quarter of 2012 from 4.5Mt. Western Europe saw a decline of 12% in the third quarter to Euro4.2Mt from Euro4.9Mt. Lafarge's central and eastern Europe region saw a drop of 8% to 4.5Mt from 4.7Mt. In Poland the group blamed a slowdown on the aftermath of the European Football Championship in June 2012. In Russia a production 'limitation' at a plant near Moscow caused problems. In the 'Middle East and Africa' region volumes fell by 4% to 10.8Mt from 11.4Mt.

In Latin America cement volumes rose by 5% to 2.4Mt from 2.3Mt. Cement sales in the region were led by a 12% boost in Brazil. In Asia volumes rose by 3% to 10.6Mt from 104Mt. Lafarge singled out a 25% increases in domestic cement sales in India, 11% in the Philippines and 14% in Indonesia. Despite increases in volumes in China, Lafarge noted that cement sales were impacted by slower construction growth and increased competition.

In its outlook Lafarge concluded that it expects to see cement demand growing from 1-4% in 2012 driven by emerging markets. The group will hold its target of reducing net debt to below Euro10bn as soon as possible in 2013.

Germany: HeidelbergCement has reported that its revenue for the first nine months of 2012 rose by 9.4% to Euro10.5bn from Euro9.62bn in 2011. The German construction materials group reported that earnings before interest and income taxes (EBIT) stayed flat at Euro1.07bn in 2012 compared to Euro1.08bn in 2011. Profit before tax fell by 5% to Euro601m from Euro635m.

Results for the third quarter of 2012 showed a different trend, with increasing EBIT and profit. Revenue rose by 9% to Euro3.94bn from Euro3.62bn compared with the same quarter of 2011. EBIT rose by 11% to Euro608m from Euro548m. Profit before tax rose by 6% to Euro427 from Euro403m. At the end of September 2012 the group's net debt stood at Euro7.76bn, a reduction of Euro740m compared to September 2011.

Cement and clinker sales rose by 2.5% for the first nine months of 2012, to 67Mt from 65.4Mt in 2011. By quarter, its sales remained flat, hitting 24.3Mt in the third quarter of 2012. The group attributed the increase for the nine-month period to a continued recovery of residential construction in North America and a persistently strong demand in Asia. The group blamed declining infrastructure expenditure in some European markets for its losses. The largest contribution to sales volumes was made by the 'Asia-Pacific' group area, followed by North America. The sales volumes of the 'Eastern Europe-Central Asia' and 'Africa-Mediterranean Basin' group areas remained at the previous year's level.