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Cong Thanh Group launches new line in Vietnam 27 November 2015
Vietnam: Cong Thanh Group held a ceremony to mark the first batch of cement made by its second production line at its cement plant in Thanh Hoa. The new line has a capacity of 12,500t/day of clinker or 3.6Mt/yr of cement.
The line will help contribute to the province's industrial production growth and contribute US$26.7m to the provincial budget. Vietnam now has 76 cement production lines with a combined output of 81.6Mt/yr. The ministry has estimated that Vietnam's cement and clinker sales in 2015 will reach 71.5 - 72Mt in 2015, fulfilling the year's target, including 55 – 55.5Mt of domestic sales, rising by 9 - 9.5% year-on-year. Clinker exports are likely to fall by 19% to 16.5Mt, meeting 85% of the whole-year target.
Cemex reports 2016 plans 27 November 2015
Colombia: Cemex's Colombian business has reported its plans for 2016. The company currently constructs housing in the country, which complements its primary activity of cement production. It has constructed 6000 houses in Colombia to date and now plans to double its income in this segment with the construction of 15,000 additional houses in the near future.
Cemex has also set-up a network of hardware stores called Construrama, of which there are now 220. The company noted the challenge in managing its distribution chain as it now sells more than 4000 products to a variety of clients. The company also plans growth for its concrete, infrastructure, housing and market development divisions in public sector projects and structuring. According to Cemex, the company has formed an alliance with the national government and administrations of municipalities, departments, associations and public institutions to achieve this goal.
Italy's antitrust body opens probe into alleged cement price fixing 27 November 2015
Italy: Italy's antitrust authority has opened an investigation into four cement companies for alleged price fixing and, with the tax police, has searched the offices of the companies, according to Reuters. The companies under investigation are Buzzi Unicem, Cementir Italia, Industria Cementi Giovanni Rossi and Holcim Italia.
"The case concerns the possibility of an agreement to coordinate cement sales price increases," said the authority in a statement.
Holcim Italia, part of LafargeHolcim, confirmed the inspections. It said that the company had always acted according to the law and has 'policies and procedures in place that are designed to ensure compliance with principles and rules of fair competition prohibiting anti-competitive behaviour and the abuse of a dominant market position.' Buzzi said that it is confident that it will be able to demonstrate during the investigation that it had always acted in compliance with competition law.
JK Lakshmi Cement commissions 1.7Mt/yr plant in Durg 26 November 2015
India: JK Lakshmi Cement has commissioned a 1.7Mt/yr cement plant in Durg, Chhattisgarh at a cost of US$263m.
HeidelbergCement’s Slantsev cement plant upgrades production 26 November 2015
Russia: The Slantsev cement plant, part of HeidelbergCement and operating in Cesla, Leningrad, plans to upgrade its production and continue development of the quarry. The investments in the project will amount to Euro14.5m.