Global Cement News

South Africa: PPC’s profit rose due to strong performance in Zimbabwe and Rwanda. Its gross profit rose by 3% year-on-year to US$174m in the financial year that ended on 31 March 2018 from US$169m in the same period in 2017. Its revenue grew by 7% to US$762m from US$715m. However, its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 9% to US$140m from US$153m.

"Our performance has been resilient against the backdrop of challenging economic and political environments in markets in which we operate. While our rest of Africa operations, particularly Zimbabwe and Rwanda, achieved good results, our materials division faced reduced demand and increased competition. Our results have also been impacted by a number of significant abnormal items: corporate action, impairment of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) operations and restructuring costs,” said chief executive officer (CEO) Johan Claassen.

By region, the group’s sales in South Africa and Botswana fell slightly due to a fall in cement sales volumes of 2 – 3%. Imports rose by 32% although PPC said it was from a low base. Elsewhere in Africa, PPC’s sales volumes rose by over 50% supported by ‘robust’ volume growth in Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The group’s PPC Barnet cement plant in Democratic Republic of Congo was commissioned in November 2017.

PPC’s lime division increased its revenue by 2% to US$59m, with volumes and selling prices similar to 2017. Volumes were constrained by key steel-customer shutdowns and non-extension of a significant contract. Lime's EBITDA contracted by
18% after higher variable costs for maintenance and raw material inputs.

Tanzania: Kenya’s ARM Cement has improved a deal to sell its non-cement businesses by adding additional assets in Tanzania worth US$8.5m for free. Previously, the company said it had reached an agreement to sell its fertiliser and mineral production businesses in Kenya to Switzerland’s Omya & Pinner Heights, a company owned by its ARM’s chief executive officer (CEO) Pradeed Paunrana, for US$15.8m, according to the Citizen newspaper. ARM has added in its annual report
that potential buyers could acquire its non-cement operations in Tanzania for free.

The cement producer reported a loss of US$55m in 2017 due to poor demand in Kenya and Tanzania. It said it was undergoing a ‘significant’ review of its current operations, asset base and financing structure to address its problems.

India: ACC forecasts that demand for cement will grow by up to 7% in 2018. However, intense competition and insufficient consumption will lead to excess capacity it added, according to the Press Trust of India. Demand is expected to benefit from government-based infrastructure projects, rural development and affordable housing schemes.

Around 66% of ACC’s cement demand came from the housing sector, followed by infrastructure with 18% and 16% from the commercial sector. The country has a total cement production capacity of 465Mt/yr but it is only producing 305Mt/yr, giving it an utilisation rate of 66%. Cement plants in the south of the country are pulling the rate down compared to northern, central and eastern regions. Excess capacity is expected to continue until 2019, with the increased outlays on housing, infrastructure development and agricultural sector initiatives.

India: The Singareni Thermal Power Plant based in Pegadapalli in Telangana is supplying around 4000t/day of fly ash to local cement producers including Orient Cement, Kesoram Cement and others companies. The 1200MW coal power is part of the Singareni Collieries Company, according to the Hindu newspaper. The management of the plant believes that they achieved a record in 2017 – 18 by utilising over 91% of the fly and bottom ash generated by the power plant.

Thailand: King Maha Vajiralongkorn has taken personal ownership of royal assets including a stake in Siam Cement. In March 2018 stock exchange data showed that the king acquired around a US$150m stake in the cement and chemical producer, according to Reuters. The Crown Property Bureau has transferred ownership of the assets worth at least US$30bn to the monarch.