Global Cement News

Cameroon: The Minister of Trade, Luc-Magloire Mbarga Atangana, has announced cuts to the price cement. He attributed this to a substantial increase in the production capacity of Mira SA’s plant to 1.5Mt/yr from 0.5Mt/yr, according to the Cameroon Tribune newspaper. Prices of some products have reportedly fallen by up to 12%.

China: Tangshan Jidong Cement’s operating income rose by 3% year-on-year to US$2.44bn in the first half of 2022 from US$2.36bn in the same period in 2021. However, its net profit fell by 7% to US$165m from US$178m. Its sales volumes of cement and clinker dropped by 20% to 38.4Mt from 48Mt. It has a reported clinker and cement production capacity of 110Mt/yr and 176Mt/yr respectively. The cement producer said that demand for cement was weak, especially in April and May 2022, with no seasonal rebound. It blamed its falling profits on geopolitics, coronavirus and a downturn in the real estate sector.

China: Dongwu Cement recorded consolidated sales of US$25.9m in the first half of 2022, down by 26% year-on-year from US$34.8m in the first half of 2021. The company’s loss was US$2.54m, compared to a US$3.76m profit in the previous period. At 30 June 2022, Dongwu Cement’s cement segment’s borrowings were US$14.8m, down by 4.5% from US$15.5m at the beginning of the year.

Morocco: LafargeHolcim Maroc’s sales were US$377m in the first half of 2022, consistent with its first-half 2021 sales, according to the L’Economiste newspaper. In the second quarter of 2022, the producer’s sales fell by 7% year-on-year to US$181m. It attributed this to a drop in its cement sales volumes, amid a national decline in demand of 10% year-on-year during the quarter. During the first half of 2022, Moroccan cement demand declined by 4.5% year-on-year. LafargeHolcim Maroc said that this was the result of global economic factors.

The producer’s net debt was US$590m on 30 June 2022, up by 5% year-on-year.

US: The Boulder County Planning Commission has recommended that county commissioners should reject Cemex USA’s application to extend its licence to mine limestone at its Dowe Flats quarry until 2037. Local press has reported that Cemex USA previously agreed to shut down its Lyons cement plant at the expiry of its extended licence in 2037. The company says that it will be able to continue operating the plant without use of the mine.

Cemex USA executive vice president Trpimir Renic said "We do always try and consume the raw materials that are available to us at the existing site where we are currently operating. We think that operating that quarry for the next 15 years - supplying Lyons cement plant - is the most responsible resource management operation that we can undertake."