Global Cement News

India: The Adani Group is likely to launch an US$3.8bn open offer to acquire a 26% stake in each of Holcim's two Indian listed entities, Ambuja Cements and ACC, from public shareholders. The group announced that it had clinched a deal to acquire a controlling stake in the businesses for US$10.5bn in May 2022.

As per the revised schedule submitted by ICICI Securities and Deutsche Equities India, the managers of the open offer, tendering of the shares in the open will start from 26 August 2022 and end on 9 September 2022.

Colombia: Cementos Argos has restarted kiln 2 at its Toluviejo Plant in Sucre after more than six months of maintenance and improvement work and after almost five years out of use. The US$7.4m project has increased the plant’s capacity by 0.2Mt/yr to 0.8Mt/yr.

The main works carried out included the rehabilitation of the preheater tower stands, the installation of a new burner that provides greater performance and re-conditioning of the kiln.

“We are very excited about the start-up of this kiln, as it is an investment that materialises our trust and the commitment that we have in Argos with the development of Colombia,” said Carlos Horacio Yusty, vice president of the Colombia Region of Argos. “In addition, it prepares us to continue serving the national and international demand for cement in a more efficient manner.”

Slovenia: Salonit Anhovo has launched a new 2.22MW roof-top solar power plant, with all power generated used immediately by the plant. The installation, the largest factory rooftop solar power plant in Slovenia, is expected to generate 2120MWh of electricity per year, enough to power 500 homes. It will reduce CO₂ emissions by 995t/yr.

The solar plant was launched less than 12 months after the contract was signed between Salonit Anhovo and solar plant construction firm Interenerg.

Namibia: Limestone mining hours at Cheetah Cement were reduced by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation on 19 August 2022. In a notice issued by the ministry, the company was ordered to stop operational activities in its quarry site between 18:00 and 06:00 due to insufficient lighting at the site. The same notice also temporarily suspends the use of forklift machines inside the factory until they are serviced to a satisfactory level.

“The notice is in full force from 19 August 2022 until all corrective measures are effected to the occupational and health safety officers of the ministry,” stated the notice.
Cheetah Cement’s Public Relations O fficer, Tabby Moyo, said that the suspension for overnight mining would not affect the company, as mining during daylight hours provides sufficient raw materials for production, adding that any other irregularities indicated in the notice will be resolved as soon as possible.

This is the second time that Cheetah Cement has been issued a notice by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation due to non-compliance of labour laws relating to the health and safety of employees. In May 2022, the factory was closed for 11 days when the factory was instructed to rectify issues in its cement mill, packing plant, warehouse and workshop.

Nigeria: Aliko Dangote, owner of Dangote Cement and Africa’s richest person, has been appointed by Nigeria’s government to lead a committee tasked to eliminate malaria. The committee will also include Folorunsho Alakija, another Nigerian billionaire, as well as other successful local business owners. Dangote was chosen to lead the committee, which will be comprised of 16 members, due to his previous financial support of various public health measures, including polio vaccination programmes.

The anti-malaria team was brought together to battle the growing cases in Nigeria, which has the highest prevalence of infection worldwide. According to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, eliminating malaria could save the country US$1.6bn/yr at present and up to US$4.8bn/yr by 2030.