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Venezuela: President Nicolas Maduro has dedicated a new cement production line at the Invecem cement plant in San Sebastian de los Reyes, Aragua. The project has cost US$168m and is part of an agreement between China and Venezuela to build 2.1Mt/yr in production capacity.
Suez Cement denies it plans to exist Egyptian market 08 March 2016
Egypt: Suez Cement has denied that it is planning to leave the Egyptian market. The announcement comes in response to media speculation following the cement producer’s admission that it has been unable to repatriate profits of Euro50m from the country for about a year. Suez Cement is 55% owned by Italian cement producer Italcementi.
Suez Cement’s Managing Director Bruno Carre blamed the problem on a foreign currency crisis in Egypt. The country’s central bank has introduced measures to reduce non-essential imports to save hard currency. Subsequently, businesses are unable to access US Dollars for imports and goods are piling up at ports.
Cemex obtains consent to amend its credit agreement 08 March 2016
Mexico: Cemex has obtained consent to amend its credit agreement dated 29 September 2014 in order to delay the scheduled tightening in its consolidated financial leverage and coverage ratio limits by one year. The formalisation of the amendment is subject to customary conditions and is expected to be finalised in the following days.
The amendment to the credit agreement will allow the leverage ratio covenant to remain at 6.0 times until and including 31 March 2017. It will then gradually decline to 4.0 times by 30 June 2020. The margin grid in the credit agreement will be modified such that if the consolidated leverage ratio is greater than 5.50 times in the reference periods ending on 31 December 2016, 31 March 2017, 30 June 2017 and 30 September 2017. The applicable margin will be 425 bps instead of 400 bps. All other levels in the margin grid remain unchanged.
In addition, the credit agreement will be amended to allow Cemex the right, subject to meeting local requirements in the Philippines, to sell a minority stake in a subsidiary that directly and indirectly mainly owns Cemex’s cement manufacturing assets in the Philippines.
Tanga Cement in discussions to use Usambara Railway 07 March 2016
Tanzania: Tanga Cement is in discussions with the Tanzanian government to increase its use of the Usambara Railway to transport its products to Arusha, according to Makame Mbarawa, the Minister for Works, Transport and Communication. Mbarawa made the comments to local press on a visit to Tanzania Railway facilities and a cement plant in Maweni.
Tanga Cement has pledged to use the railway line to transport 35,000t/month. The move is intended to minimise damage to the country’s road network. In the 2014 – 2015 year Tanzania Railways transported 44,000t of cement. From July to December 2015 the railway transported 24,960t of cement, according to Masanja Kadogosa, the Deputy Director General of Tanzania Railways.
UltraTech to restructure Jaiprakash Associates deal if mining law amendment not approved 07 March 2016
India: UltraTech will create a separate corporate structure for the cement assets of Jaiprakash Associates it has agreed to buy if a key mining law is not amended by June 2016. An amendment to the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) (MMDR) Act in 2015 suggested that the transfer of mining rights could only be passed by auction, leading to delays in several mergers and acquisitions in the cement industry.
"We have considered both scenarios. If the amendment goes through, it is a clear asset purchase. If not, there are structures we have in mind, with which we will be able to do the deal," said Atul Daga, chief financial officer of UltraTech to the Hindustan Times. He added that the deal is not entirely linked to the mining amendment. "The agreement is for specific assets. It's more about how you structure it. I do not want to comment on the structure until the closure of the definitive agreement."
If the MMDR Act amendment is not approved, Jaiprakash Associates will need to create a separate entity out of the assets being sold to UltraTech, for the deal to proceed. However, it will refinance Jaiprakash's borrowings at lower rates if the MMRDA amendments get approved.
UltraTech announced in late February 2016 that it was purchasing the majority of Jaiprakash Associates’ 22.4Mt/yr cement portfolio instead for US$2.4bn.