India: Cement companies produced 82Mt of cement in the three-month period ending on 30 June 2021, the first quarter of the 2022 financial year, corresponding to growth of 54% year-on-year. Production in the quarter declined by 12% quarter-on-quarter, due to the proliferation of new state Covid-19 lockdowns from April 2021 onwards. The Hitavada newspaper has reported that ratings agency ICRA forecast that full-year production will rise by 12% in the 2022 financial year, on account of pent-up demand, growing rural housing demand and a pick-up in infrastructure activity. It nonetheless estimated that production will remain 2% below pre-Covid-19 outbreak 2020 financial year levels, with continuing high costs due to rising fuel prices. In the first quarter of the 2022 financial year, coal prices more than doubled and petcoke prices rose by 98% year-on-year.

Egypt: Suez Cement is planning to invest US$20m on an 18MW waste heat recovery unit at its integrated Helwan plant. The subsidiary of Germany-based HeidelbergCement started the project in mid-2021 and expects to complete it by the end of 2022. It is currently negotiating with suppliers and hopes to appoint one soon with construction scheduled for 2022.

India: Shree Cement is planning to launch three projects with a total value of US$646m. The Press Trust of India newspaper has reported that US$476m-worth of the sum will go towards establishing a new 3.8Mt/yr integrated cement plant at Nawalgarh in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. The producer will invest a further US$102m in establishing a grinding plant in Purulia district, West Bengal, to take advantage of ‘favourable’ demand. Lastly, it will invest US$68m in installing solar power plants at ‘various’ cement plants across India.

Shree Cement said “The company has committed to maximising the use of clean energy in its operations. Setting up of the above solar power plants will enhance the proportion of clean energy usage in the total energy consumption of the company.”

Pakistan: DG Khan’s full-year profit after tax was US$22.1m in the 2021 financial year, which ended on 30 June 2021. The Dawn newspaper has reported that the company recorded a loss of US$29.2m in the 2020 financial year.