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India: Sagar Cements has started generating power from a 6MW waste recovery unit at its Mattampally cement plant in the Nalgonda District of Telangana. The company’s board of directors approved the construction of the unit in March 2016.
Philippines: The Board of Investments (BOI) is seeking investment in the cement sector as it expects demand to double to 40Mt/yr by 2020 due to a peak in government infrastructure spending. At the same time Department of Trade and Industry (TI) Undersecretary for industry promotions group Ceferino S Rodolfo confirmed that two companies are preparing to build new integrated plants, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper. Both companies are obtaining permits for their projects but Rodolfo would not confirm their identifies. DMCI Holdings was reported in the local press as being interested in building a plant Antique's Semirara Island in early June 2017.
Government to reduce Taiwan’s cement export cap 20 June 2017
Taiwan: Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Yang Wei-fuu says the government plans to lower the cap on cement exports from over 20% of total output to 15% on environmental grounds. The ministry is also preparing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) policy for the development of the cement industry, according to the Central News Agency. The policy is scheduled to be completed by June 2018 and be submitted to the Environmental Protection Administration. The decision follows public outcry over the alleged expansion of the quarry at Asia Cement’s Hualien plant, which is partly located in a national park.
According to ministry data, Taiwan's cement exports reached 51% of total output in 2009 and 36%, 24%, 24% and 27% from 2013 to 2016 respectively. The ratio was at 25% in the first four months of 2017. Once an amendment to the Mining Act and environmental assessment regulations come into effect, many cement mining projects are expected to be affected. The ministry also intends to find alterative sources for the cement industry’s demand for raw materials.
Cemex expands Construrama retail network 19 June 2017
Colombia: Cemex has opened its 300th store of its Construrama retail network. The network is present in 190 municipalities and it plans to reach 500 stores by 2020, according to the El Financiero newspaper. In 2016 the brand opened 130 branches in Mexico and 60 in Colombia. The network is also growing in other Latin American countries.
India: The Assam Real Estate and Infrastructure Developers' Association (AREIDA) says that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has appointed an officer to investigate ‘unjustified’ rises in the price of cement. The AREIDA had filed a case with the CCI against Star, Topcem and Dalmia Cements in September 2016, according to the Assam Tribune newspaper. After a preliminary inquiry, the CCI had registered a case against the three companies with Case No. 77/2016, under Section 19 (1) (a) of the Competitions Act 2002, for violation of Sections 3 and 4 of the Act.