Pakistan: DG Khan Cement recorded a consolidated net profit after tax of US$18.5m in the first nine months of the 2021 financial year, compared to a US$12.0m loss in the corresponding period of the 2020 financial year. Net sales rose by 8% year-on-year to US$213m from US$198m. Cement sales volumes fell by 5% to 4.09Mt from 4.32Mt.

The company praised Pakistan’s ‘smart lockdown’ as a mitigating factor of the damaging effects of the coronavirus outbreak. Clinker production was 94% of capacity, compared to 101% in the first nine months of 2020. Total kiln operational days fell by 8% to 813 from 883. Depending on on-going outbreak conditions, the company forecast continued momentum gains in housing and infrastructure. It expects to commission a new waste heat recovery (WHR) power plant in the fourth quarter, reducing costs.

India: The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has issued Zuari Cements’ Kapada cement plant with a closure order. The order follows an alleged failure to conform to a previous environmental order from the APPCB. The Indian Express newspaper has reported that, pursuant to the order, the board has requested police to cut off the power supply to the integrated cement plant.

Pakistan: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar says that up to 16 cement plants are being set up in the province. DG Khan will operate three of the new plants, according to the Frontier Star newspaper. Buzdar made the comments at a political meeting in late April 2021.

Bolivia: Fábrica Nacional de Cemento (FANCESA) has increased the clinker capacity of its Cal Orcko cement plant to 2100t/day with the inauguration of a new clinker line. The La Razón newspaper has reported that the company launched the project in May 2018 at an investment cost of US$215m. The work employed 1390 people, and a further 4000 indirectly. The producer expects the expanded plant to reach full capacity by mid-2021.