Nigeria: The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is in discussions with Dangote Cement to transport cement. Fidet Okhiria told the Herald newspaper that talks between the companies are at an advanced stage. He also disclosed that the Lagos to Ibadan and Itakpe to Warri standard gauge railway line projects are on course and are about to start being tested respectively.
Italcementi rebrands Cementir and Sacci subsidiaries
Italy: HeidelbergCement’s subsidiary Italcementi has rebranded CementirSacci and Cementir Italia as Italsacci and Cemitaly respectively. The move follows the integration of the companies into the group at the start of 2018.
The cement producers operate four integrated plants and two grinding plants. Italsacci runs plants at Tavernola Bergamasca, Greve and Cagnano Amiterno. Cemitaly runs plants at Spoleto, Arquata Scrivia and Taranto.
Italcementi now operates 10 integrated plants, one plant for special projects, 10 cement grinding plants, 113 concrete plants and 13 aggregate quarries in Italy. Its headquarters is based in Bergamo.
Former Vicem head removed from government committees
Vietnam: Tran Viet Thang, the former General Director of the Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem), has been dismissed as a member of the Executive Committee of the Central Businesses Party Unit and member of the Executive Committee of Vicem's Party unit. He has been found guilty of several legal violations as well as breaking Communist Party of Vietnam rules, according to the Viet Nam News newspaper.
Thang was appointed as the head of government-owned Vicem in mid-2013. He is accused of raising company debts of US$175m by the end of 2016. He left the position in mid-2017. According to the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Thang signed documents and took decisions that he was not authorised to. His actions allegedly violated local corporate and bidding law, as well as rules for Communist Party members. He has been accused of damaging the reputation of Vicem and the Communist Party.
The punishment against Thang is part of an on-going crackdown in the country against corruption.
US government proposes tariffs on Chinese cement
US/China: The Office of the US Trade Representative has proposed placing a 10% tariff on mineral and other products from China including cement. The list includes over 600 items and it will come into force following a period for public comment in August 2018.
Mineral products affected by the proposed tariffs of interest to the cement industry include limestone flux, quicklime, slaked lime, gypsum, anhydrite, clinkers of Portland, aluminous, slag, supersulfate and similar hydraulic cements, white Portland cement, Portland cement, aluminous cement, slag cement, refractory cements, additives for cement, cement based building materials and more.
The inclusion of additional products to a tariff list follows an earlier decision by the US government to tax imports from China worth US$34bn that came into force in early July 2018.
