Global Cement News

Nepal: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) has revoked the licences of two cement producers. It reported that International Cement and Reliance Supertek Cement had both sold cement below domestic commercial standards and continued to trade after receiving an order to halt sales. NBSM’s Bishwo Babu Pudasaini said, “We have intensified checks and collected samples from about a dozen cement plants for laboratory tests. These dangerous products undercut Nepal’s transition to cement self-reliance.”

India: JSW Cement has undertaken work to improve a dried-up canal in order make it a source of water for the irrigation needs of farmers in Bilakalaguduru village, Andhra Pradesh. The Hindu newspaper has reported that the JSW Cement team has redirected overflow water from a limestone quarry. JSW Cement also built a new temple to the gods Balaji and Varahaswamy in Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh using local black limestone.

Malaysia: Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) has reported a first quarter profit of US$4.04m, down by 64% year-on-year from US$11.4m in 2019. Sales fell by 32% to US$65.9m from US$97.6m. The company said, “Ordinarily, there is a lower level of activity in the first quarter;” however it predicted a 50% year-on-year profit drop for its cement division in the first half of 2020. It said that it expects its construction materials and trading division’s performance to “pick up and remain strong” in the second half of 2020.

Argentina: Producers sold 649,000t of cement in May 2020, down by 33% year-on-year from 965,000t in May 2019. Data from the Asociación de Fabricantes de Cemento Portland (AFCP) shows that the sharpest decline, of 80%, was in Buenos Aires. Total sales nonetheless grew by 61% month-on-month from 404,000t in April 2020. Five-month sales to 31 May 2020 fell by 35% year-on-year.

Uzbekistan: China-based Huaxin Cement has successfully ignited the kiln at its 2Mt/yr Jizzakh cement plant in Jizzakh Oblast. 200 employees attended the plant’ opening ceremony, which was streamed by video link to Huaxin Cement’s global headquarters in Wuhan Province. Huaxin Cement president Li Yeqing said, “Everyone has done a very good job, demonstrating the company's strength and personnel capabilities.” Trial operation had been due to begin in April 2020, but was delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak.