Holcim
ACC Limited, the larger of Holcim's two main subsidiaries in India, generated a first-quarter turnover 14.1% ahead at INR25,562.1m (€387.3m) as cement deliveries increased by 10.4% to 6.16Mt. The pre-tax profit was down by 14.6% to INR4812.1m (€70.1m) and the net profit declined by 11.1% to INR3501.7m (€53.2m) as a result of higher input costs for coal, electricity, slag and fly ash. ACC expects continued growth in the demand for cement and should benefit from the increased capacity at its Wadi and Chanda works.
Ambuja Cements, the other major Indian cement producer in the group, increased cement and clinker deliveries by 6.8% to 5.64Mt. Domestic cement shipments advanced by 5.5% to 5.42Mt but exports were reduced by 31% to 89,000t, while clinker sales increased from 18,000t to 134,000t. Clinker production was up by one-fifth, thanks to higher kiln capacity and the need to buy in clinker was substantially lower. Demand remained strong in the eastern and western regions, but eased in the south and was moderate in the north. Export demand remained weak. Turnover rose by 10.9% to INR22,070m (€335.7m), but the EBITDA declined by 3.7% to INR6270m (€105.0m) and the running profit before tax came off by 5.2% to INR5590m (€84.9m) as power and fuel costs rose by 36%, in part reflecting increased production, and freight costs were up by 23%. This resulted in the net profit being down by 11.1% to INR4070m (€61.8m).
Holcim Slovakia, which exports approximately half its production, is expected to spend €11m to capital investments this year, but future investments on the environment alone are expected to amount to about €40m. Holcim Romania should complete some €12m of environmental investments at its Alesd and Campulung integrated works this year.
Holcim Maroc saw volumes decline last year, by 2% in cement to 3.72Mt, by 1% in aggregates to 1.15Mt and by 4.1% in ready-mixed concrete to 0.49Mm³, while turnover was very marginally ahead and the trading profit improved by 3.5%. Capital investment in the doubling of capacity at the Fez works, which should be commissioned next spring, amounted to some €132m in the year under review.
Holcim Indonesia is expecting to increase cement volume by about 6% in 2011 and when the US$450m investment in the new 1.7Mta cement works is completed by the middle of 2013, Holcim Indonesia's capacity should reach 10.0Mta.
Holcim Philippines, which saw cement deliveries rise by 10% in 2010 in spite of power shortages, is expecting slower growth this year because of lower public sector spending. The output of the four integrated works and one grinding centre is expected to rise by between 3% and 5% in 2011. There is speculation about a US$500m investment in a new cement works, but nothing has been confirmed as yet.
