Global Cement News

Kenya: Any potential financial recovery of ARM Cement could be threatened by the loss of its mining licences. Local legislation lists insolvency as a condition that could trigger suspension or revocation of a mining licence, according to the Business Daily newspaper. The cement producer was placed into administration by UBA Bank in mid-August 2018, with PricewaterhouseCoopers staff appointed as administrators. PWC’s Muniu Thoithi said that the company was approaching the government on the issue.

Zimbabwe: Sino-Zimbabwe Cement (SZC) has been granted certification by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). The company says that ISO certification will make its products attractive to compete on the international market, according to the Herald newspaper. SCZ produces three types of cement: MC 22.5 X, PC 32.5 N and 42.5N. Most of the cement is consumed by the Zimbabwean market, with a small amount exported to neighbouring countries. The company plans to produce PC 42.5R later in 2018 to target local infrastructure projects.

The cement producer’s 0.3Mt/yr Gweru plant was built in the 1990s in a joint-venture between China National Building Material Company (CNBM) and the Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe.

Germany: The German Cement Works Association (VDZ) says that cement consumption grew by 4.8% year-on-year to 28.8Mt in 2017. It has attributed this boost to higher investments in new construction work and acknowledged the benefits of good weather. However, the association expects much less growth in 2018.

Data from the German Federal Statistical Office indicates that domestic demand for cement was almost completely covered by German-based producers in 2017. Only 1.6Mt of cement or 5.4% had to be imported. This figure has increased slightly compared to the preceding years. The same applies to cement exports, which rose by 1.6% to a total of around 6.2Mt.

"Potential for growth is still evident in certain construction sectors. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to exploit this as we are reaching capacity limits in the construction industry," said VDZ president Christian Knell.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Austria’s Asamer Baustoff plans to force a buyout of Fabrika Cementa Lukavac to acquire the remaining 0.46% share of the cement producer it does not already own. The building materials company intends to use its right to transfer voting shares from minority shareholders to itself, according to SeeNews. The move follows a previous move to increase its share in the cement producer in June 2018.

Turkey: Greece’s Titan Group has reached an agreement to increase its share in its joint venture, Adocim Çimento Beton Sanayi ve Ticaret. At present the cement producer is a 50-50 joint-venture operated with Cem Sak Group since 2008. The arrangement will see it buy an additional 25% share in Adocim and dispose of its 50% share of a grinding plant. The transaction is conditional upon approvals by regulatory authorities and is expected to be concluded by the end of November 2018.

Adocim owns an integrated cement plant with a production capacity of 1.5Mt/yr, a grinding unit with a production capacity of 0.6Mt/yr and three ready-mix concrete units.