Global Cement News

Ivory Coast: LafargeHolcim Côte d'Ivoire says that it is proud to have contributed 60,000t of its Bélier Extra cement to the construction of the Ebimpé Olympic Stadium. Chief executive officer (CEO) Serge Gbotta said, “It is a real honour for all our teams to see their products accomplish international wonders. This is what we are working hard for. We are satisfied to see that, for its quality, Bélier Extra cement remains undeniably the first choice of construction and public works players.”

Nicknamed the ‘Arc de Triomphe,’ the Olympic Stadium will be the official home of the Ivory Coast national football team.

Croatia: A European Union (EU) court has ruled in favour of the European Commission’s antitrust veto of Germany-based HeidelbergCement and Schwenk Zement’s 2017 acquisition agreement with Mexico-based Cemex for acquisition of its subsidiary Cemex Croatia. The court said that the deal was anti-competitive in that it had the potential to push up cement prices in Croatia, in spite of HeidlebergCement and Schwenk Zement’s offer to grant other cement suppliers access to a terminal.

Pakistan: Provincial Minerals Minister Hafiz Yasir has issued licences for the construction of eight new cement plants. The News International newspaper has reported that the state has already invested US$244m in one of the plants, and a further US$1.83bn-worth of upcoming cement production capacity will be located in the Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province.

Nigeria: BUA Cement has broken ground at the site of its upcoming 3.0Mt/yr-capacity integrated cement plant in Guyuk, Adamawa State. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri proposed nearby Yola as the site for a second BUA Cement plant in the state, which he said would “further diversify the economy away from sole reliance on petroleum products.”

The company is currently building a 50MW waste heat recovery (WHR) plant in Lamurde, Adamawa State.

Philippines: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Holcim Philippines says that it will “strengthen its commitment to development as a supporter of manufacturing and construction” on Mindenao, where it operates the Davao and Misamis Oriental cement plants, to help the island recover from the economic effects of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Sales senior vice president William Sumalinog said, “We are not slowing down at this time when the government has deemed it essential to continue upgrading infrastructure. Doing so not only raises the level of competitiveness of the manufacturing industry, but also shields the economy from the blows of the pandemic. We remain confident that we are well-equipped to deliver great value and support to builders working to improve the competitiveness of Mindanao’s economy and to all our stakeholders in the region who are united in their dreams of a better Mindanao."