Global Cement News

Argentina: Holcim Argentina has appointed Gerardo Kemnitz as its Director of Operations. He will lead Holcim’s operations in the country, where it operates three integrated cement plants and one grinding unit.

Kemnitz started working for the group in 1988 and spent the next 20 years working in maintenance roles at different plants. He later became a Health and Safety consultant for the Americas, Europe and Asia before being appointed as the director of the Tecomán plant in Mexico in 2014. More recently he worked as the manager of the Malagueño plant in Argentina.

Belgium: Magotteaux has appointed Gonzalo Cavada as its chief executive officer with effect from 31 October 2022. He will succeed Sébastien Dossogne, who will stay in post until the end of October 2022 as part of a transition period. Cavada will be based in Vaux-sous-Chèvremont in Belgium, at Magotteaux’s headquarters.

Cavada currently works as the chief financial officer of Magotteaux’s parent company Sigdo Koppers (SK). He previously worked for SK’s acquisition team when the Chile-based conglomerate purchased Magotteaux in 2011. He is a trained civil engineer who attended the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and he holds a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Cambridge.

China: CNBM has blamed declining sales of cement on repeated coronavirus outbreaks, a decline in the real estate market, lack of funding for infrastructure projects and a generally weak economy. Its cement sales revenue fell by 10% year-on-year to US$7.80bn in the first half of 2022 from US$8.65bn in the same period in 2021. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) dropped by 39% to US$1.72bn from US$2.82bn. Cement and clinker sales volumes decreased by 17.8% to 128Mt and 14.6% to 18Mt respectively. Sales volumes of concrete decreased by 24% to 39.5Mm³.

Overall, the group’s revenue fell by 11% to US$15.8bn in the first half of 2022 from US$17.6bn in the same period in 2021. Its adjusted EBITDA dropped by 23% to US$2.87bn from US$3.71bn.

China: Anhui Conch’s operating revenue fell by 30% year-on-year to US$8.14bn in the first half of 2022 from US$11.6bn in the same period in 2021. Its net profit dropped by 33% to US$1.44bn from US$2.17bn. Its overall sales volumes of cement and clinker decreased by 37% to 130Mt. By region the group reported its biggest drop in sales volumes in East China. Anhui Conch blamed its falling sales and profit on continued coronavirus control measures, falling market demand and rising energy prices.

China: Huaxin Cement’s operating income decreased by 2% year-on-year to US$2.08bn in the first half of 2022 from US$2.13bn in the same period in 2021. Its net profit dropped by 35% to US$230m from US$353m. Its sales volumes of cement and clinker declined by 22% to 29Mt. Domestically, the group blamed the situation on the coronavirus pandemic, a “sharp” decline in demand for cement, the high cost of fuel and pressure on prices.