Burkina Faso: Cimasso has produced the first bag of cement at its new 2.6Mt/yr grinding plant at Bobo Dioulasso. The subsidiary of Cim Metal Group met the milestone in early November 2018, according to the Le Pays newspaper. The official inauguration of the unit is planned for the end of November 2018. It follows first production at Ciments de Côte d’Ivoire’s (Cimivoire) 3Mt/yr grinding plant in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast in September 2018. Cimivoire is another subsidiary of Cim Metal Group. The plant was built using loans from the West African Development Bank (BOAD).

Malaysia: Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) has launched a new Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) product. The 32.5N strength product is targeted for low-rise concrete structures such as single storey residential, office and commercial buildings. It is also intended for plastering, bricklaying and for use in the construction of drains and rural or kampong roads. CMS has also been conducting trials with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) on testing it as a binder for soil stabilisation. The new cement type will compliment CMS’ existing Portland Cement 42.5N product.

CMS operates one integrated cement plant and two grinding plants. Both grinding plants, at Pending in Kuching and Bintulu, have direct access to ports allowing entry to export markets for bagged and bulk product. The state-owned cement producer also operates two bulk marine terminals at Sibu and Miri.

India: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has approved a revised bid by UltraTech Cement for Binani Cement. The tribunal approved UltraTech’s resolution plan and said that the plan submitted by Rajputana Properties, a subsidiary of rival bidder Dalmia Bharat group, was ‘discriminatory’ against some financial creditors, according to the Press Trust of India. In July 2018 the Supreme Court transferred all matters related to corporate insolvency resolution process of Binani Cement to the NCLAT Kolkata.

Philippines: Apo Cement is preparing to temporarily lay-off up to 30% of its employees and 40% of its contractors. It has filed a formal notice detailing its intentions with the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas, according to the Philippines News Agency. It says it has been forced into reducing its workforce in response to the on-going suspension of Apo Land and Quarry following landslides in September 2018. APO Land & Quarry supplies raw materials to CHP’s subsidiary Apo Cement, and it is indirectly 40% owned by Mexico’s Cemex.