Global Cement News

Bulgaria: The Bulgarian unit of Swiss building materials maker Holcim has announced the construction of a new waste recycling installation worth Euro6.5m at its cement production site in the village of Beli Izvor, in the country's northwest. Some Euro1.6m the total investment costs were covered by the EU-funded operational programme Competitiveness, according to Holcim Bulgaria.

The recycling plant for sorted solid household waste will increase the volume of recovered combustible waste by more than 35,000t/yr, which Global Cement infers may be included in the plant's cement kiln as an alternative fuel. With the launch of the waste recycling installation, Holcim Bulgaria completed a six-year investment programme worth Euro80m that targeted technological upgrades, an increase in production capacity and the mitigation of environmental risks.

UAE: Dubai Group plans to sell its 45% stake in a joint venture firm with French cement maker Lafarge to help to repay its debt, which currently stands at US$10bn. Lafarge Emirates Cement is restructuring and needs additional capital to help support the business.

Lafarge Emirates Cement was set up as a joint venture between Lafarge, the largest cement company in the world, Dubai Group, part of conglomerate Dubai Holding, and the Fujairah Emirate in 2005. The company runs a plant in Fujairah with a cement production capacity of 3.2Mt/yr.

Philippines: Cemex has announced that it is planning to expand the cement production capacity of its APO plant in the Philippines by 1.5 Mt/yr. Through an investment of approximately US$65m, the company will increase production and strengthen its distribution network to better serve high-demand areas throughout the country. The increase is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2014.

With this new investment, Cemex says that it will keep pace with the Filipino market's rapid growth. The country registered a GDP growth of 6.1% in the first half of 2012, according to its National Statistical Coordination Board. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has begun multiple infrastructure projects as the country recovers from damage caused by extreme weather conditions.

"Infrastructure development has been one of the constant needs of the country and it has to be addressed with urgency," said Pedro Palomino, president of Cemex in the Philippines. "We are proud to be a part of the development of the Philippines and wish to be a long-term partner on its path to a prosperous, sustainable future."

India: India's infrastructure major, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (Reliance Infra) has entered the Indian cement market with 'Reliance Cement' via its subsidiary Reliance Cement Company Pvt Ltd.

"The company now commercially enters into the Indian cement market, which has been on a robust growth trajectory for more than a decade, led by buoyancy in sectors like real estate, infrastructure and construction," said a Reliance Infra statement yesterday.

Reliance Infra will manufacture Portland pozzolana cement at its Butibori plant in Maharashtra state and deliver it mainly to the Vidharbha region.

"We will initially cater to the Vidharbha market (in Maharashtra state) focusing on districts like Nagpur, Wardha, Chandrapur, Bhandara, and Amrawati. Later we will expand our marketing and distribution networks to other districts," said Reliance Cement vice chairman, Sumit Banerjee.

Egypt: An Egyptian court has ordered that the sale of Assiut Cement Company to Cemex be annulled. The plant will be returned to the Egyptian government as it was sold for less than its fair value. The court also ruled that all workers forced to retire after the sale may return.

Cemex bought 90% of the state owned factory in 1999 for US$580m in cash and assumed debt and currently owns a 96% stake. Under the court ruling, Cemex would be responsible for all the financial obligations its Egyptian business incurred since 1999. Cemex plans to contest the ruling and appeal the court's decision.