Argentina: The Association of Portland Cement Manufacturers (AFCP) has agreed with the Argentine Mining Workers Association union to a 48% pay rise for all Argentinean cement workers. The La Voz del Interior newspaper has reported that the union has lifted its nationwide state of alert as a result of the agreement.

China: Anhui Conch’s operating revenue grew by 8.7% year-on-year to US$12.5bn in the first half of 2021 from US$11.5bn in the same period in 2020. However, its net profit fell by 7% to US$2.32bn from US$2.49bn. The group blamed this on rising raw material prices and ‘fierce’ competition. Anhui Conch reported that its production and sales volumes of cement and clinker increased by 11.5% to 208Mt. By region, sales grew in east, central and south China but fell in the west.

The group said that one clinker production line and two cement grinding units for Hunan Yunfeng Cement had been commissioned during the first half of 2021. Construction work on two grinding projects based in Haimen and Ganzhou also started. Outside of China, work on the group’s Qarshi project in Uzbekistan progressed to the installation of equipment.

China: Sales revenue from China National Building Materials’ (CNBM) cement business grew by 3% year-on-year to US$9.26bn in the first half of 2021 from US$8.98bn in the first half of 2020.Adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 12% to US$3.02bn from US$2.70bn. The group’s cement and clinker sales increased by 7.6% to 177Mt. Its concrete sales volumes increased by 13% to 52Mm³. It reported that government fiscal policy boosted demand from January to April 2021 but that heavy rainfall and increasing bulk commodity prices in May 2021 slowed the progress of some projects.

Across all business lines, the group’s revenue grew by 14% to US$18.9bn from US$16.5bn in the same period in 2020. Adjusted EBITDA rose by 13% to US$3.98bn from US$3.51bn. Total revenue benefitted from particular gains from its New Materials and Engineering businesses. However, the Engineering businesses segment reported significant drops in earnings in the reporting period. Sinoma International reported that it faced ‘multiple challenges’ such as the coronavirus pandemic outside of China, rising raw material prices and negative currency exchange effects.

China: Huaxin Cement’s sales revenue increased by 17% year-on-year to US$2.28bn in the first half of 2021 from US$1.95bn in the same period in 2020. Net profit rose by 8.3% to US$378m from US$349m. Cement and clinker sales grew by 14% to 37Mt and concrete sales volumes more than doubled to 3.36Mm³. The cement producer reported that demand for cement decreased in May and June 2021 due to bad weather and price rises of raw materials leading to reduced construction activity.