Global Cement News

Nigeria: Aliko Dangote has retained his position as the richest man in Africa, with a net worth of US$12.1bn for the 11th consecutive year, according to Forbes’ Top 10 List of African Billionaires. The owner of Dangote Cement saw his personal wealth increase by US$1.8bn, or nearly US$5m/day, in 2021, bringing it to US$13.9bn. A major contributing factor was a 30% rise in the share price of Dangote Cement, his most valuable asset. This was due to a surge in housing developments in Nigeria and growth in government infrastructure spending in 2021.

The Forbes list also ranked Abdul Samad Rabiu as the fifth richest African. He founded and chairs Nigeria-based cement producer BUA Group.

Uzbekistan: Russia-based Akkerman Cement has acquired a 98.6% stake in Akhangarancement. Gazprombank provided a loan to the subsidiary of USM to support the deal after previously supporting Akkerman Cement’s acquisition of its Gornozavodsk plant in 2018. Eurocement started selling its majority stake in Akhangarancement in early 2021 prior to its own acquisition by Smikom later in the year. No value for the latest Akkerman Cement deal has been disclosed.

“The investment in Akhangarancement, like all USM investments in Uzbekistan, is primarily aimed at the development of this country, the small homeland of Alisher Usmanov, the main shareholder of USM. All the profit that will be generated here will remain in Uzbekistan and will be directed to the socio-economic development of the republic. We see great potential in this. A growing population, demand for quality new housing, and in the long term support for consumer demand through mortgage lending, all this will contribute to the growth of cement consumption,” said Anton Selyavko, chairman of the board of directors of Akkerman Cement. He added that growth in Uzbekistan might not be easy due to production overcapacity and high levels of imports from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan but that Akkerman Cement had experience of this from the Russian market.

Founded in 2002 Akkerman Cement was previously known as the South Ural Mining and Processing Company. It operates two integrated cement plants in Russia, at 2.3Mt/yr unit at Novotroitsk and a 2Mt/yr unit at Gornozavodsk, and 12 terminals including sites at Ekaterinburg, Izhevsk, Kazan, Moscow, Orenburg, Perm, Samara, Tumen and Ufa. The company also runs metal and lime divisions. Akhangarancement reportedly started a new 2.5Mt/yr dry process production line in late 2021.

UK: Holcim has sold its cement business in Northern Ireland to Cookstown Cement for Euro67m. The latter is a newly formed local construction company established by a longstanding business partner of Holcim. It will take control of Holcim’s integrated 0.45Mt/yr Cookstown cement plant.

Miljan Gutovic, Region Head EMEA at Holcim, said, “This divestment advances our ‘Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth’ with a focus on consolidating our leadership in core markets to become the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. With Cookstown Cement, we are pleased to have found a strategic and trusted owner for the business, better positioned to continue investing in its long term growth. We are delighted about Cookstown Cement’s vision, offering a solid platform for the team to continue to thrive.”

Congo: The Société Nouvelle de Ciment du Congo (SONOCC) plans to resume production at its integrated Louteté plant in Bouenza from 31 January 2022. Plant manager II Xingtao made the announcement during a meeting with Antoine Thomas Nicéphore Fylla Saint Eudes, the Minister of Industrial Development and Promotion of the Private Sector, according to the Central African News Agency.

The minister called for the meeting because reportedly only one of the country’s integrated cement plants, FORSPAK Cement, is currently operational. SONOCC blamed the situation on a mechanical breakdown, the coronavirus pandemic and the slow arrival of an order from France. II Xingtao said that SONOCC was hoping to use limestone from Dangote Cement’s plant at Mfila to help alleviate the situation.

Dangote Cement estimated in October 2021 that the total market for cement in Congo was around 667,000t in the first nine months of the year. Its 1.5Mt/yr integrated plant in Mfila sold 357,000t of cement during the period, a rise of 33% year-on-year.

Spain: Bulk cement exports have resumed from the Port of Malaga for the first time since September 2021. The Panamanian-flagged Grit Cement II docked at the port in mid-January 2022 to collect a consignment of 8000t, according to Málaga Hoy. Trade in cement from the port stopped in the autumn of 2021 when HeildebergCement sold the Southern Spain business of its FYM subsidiary to Brazil-based Votorantim Cimentos. Prior to the reopening, ships from the port exported cement to the Port of Banjul in Gambia.