Cement News tagged: Corporate
Holcim Spain issues new ERE
Holcim Spain has presented a new record of employment regulation (ERE) that will affect 141 staff. While Holcim is reported by construction organisation Fecoma to have plans to sell its Gádor (Almería) cement works, the ERE mainly affects workers in the concrete mortar and aggregates divisions. The adjustment in its workforce is part of ongoing changes made in recent years by several Spa...
Egypt: Suez Cement increases dividend payout
Suez Cement, part of the Italcementi group, will pay a cash dividend of EGP2.65/share (US$0.38), it said in a statement published yesterday. The company said it would make the payment in two phases. EGP1/share will be distributed in April, and the remainder of EGP1.65/share in September. Last year, Suez Cement paid a cash dividend of EGP1.65/share, according to Thomson Reuters data.
Kenya: ARM Cement reports 12% rise in pretax profit
Kenya’s second largest cement producer ARM Cement saw a 12 per cent rise in full year pretax profit to KES2bn (US$23.17m). Earnings per share increased to KES2.73 from KES2.52, the company said in a statement.
Ashaka Cement pretax profit declines, Nigeria
Nigeria’s Ashaka Cement said its pretax profit fell last year to NGN2.84bn (US$17.2m) from NGN5.47bn in the last year. Turnover only slipped to NGN21.69bn from NGN21.82bn, the company said in a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Venezuela industry minister revokes Andino appointment
Venezuela’s Minister of Industry has revoked the appointment of Cemento Andino Chairman Gilberto Antonia Barrios Contreras.
Argos Board approves US$50m loan
The board of Colombia’s Argos Group has approved a US$50m loan with the Bank of Bogotá and Miami Agency. The 180-day credit was extended to cover operating cash flow needs.
Buzzi Unicem hit by weak Italian market
On a turnover 2.1 per cent lower at EUR2753.1m, Buzzi Unicem's EBITDA improved by 5.7 per cent to EUR481.2m. After writing down the assets in Italy and Ukraine by EUR57.7m and EUR39.9m, respectively, the trading profit (EBIT) showed a 24 per cent reduction to EUR149.8m. After a net interest charge 12.4 per cent lower at EUR110.5m, the pre-tax profit declined by 35.4 per cent to EUR50.3m. Be...
China Shanshui seeks to refinance debt and trim 2014 capex
China Shanshui Cement is seeking to refinance debt and cut capital expenditure by half this year after earnings fell for a second year, according to CreditSights Inc. The cement maker, which had CNY6.9bn (US$1.1bn) of short-term debt including loans and corporate bonds at the end of last year, plans to use proceeds from a newly issued domestic medium-term note to repay CNY900m due today. Ma...
FCC to increase stake in Cementos Portland to 78%
FCC will increase its participation in Spain-based cement producer Cementos Portland from 69.8 to 78 per cent. The transaction will be carried out by a capital increase of EUR111m through the capitalisation of a EUR100m subordinated loan granted by FCC. The capital increase will result from the issuance of 13,878,094 new ordinary Cementos Portland shares, representing EUR1.50 par value each...
Venezuela central bank to visit cement producers
Venezuela’s Minister of Industries, Wilmer Barrientos, said representatives of the country’s central bank would visit cement companies to find solutions to the sector’s issues. The visits would be part of the government’s efforts to revive cement production in the country. “Those [cement companies] who need to be strengthened, we will strengthen,” he said. The central bank welcomed the measur...
KHD Humboldt Wedag 2013 revenue increases 16.9% YoY
KHD Humboldt Wedag International reported yesterday that it achieved a 16.9 per cent YoY increase in 2013 revenues. Order intakes, however, were significantly below the previous year’s level due to unfavourable market conditions. Strong competition and lower margin quality in the company's order backlog had a negative impact on results but a positive EBIT was recorded. The German cement pla...
Ambuja gets nod for merger with Holcim India
The High Courts of New Delhi and Gujarat have given Ambuja Cements the green light to merge with Holcim India – paving the way for the ACC-Ambuja restructuring process announced by the parent company in July last year. In a two stage deal, Ambuja will first acquire, through a purchase, a 24 per cent stake in Holcim India for a cash consideration of INR35,000m (US$~600m), followed by a stock ...
Dangote Cement revenue rises 29.4%
Dangote Cement, Nigeria’s largest cement company saw revenues rise 29.4 per cent last year to nearly NGN386.2bn (US$2.45bn), backed by 28.2 per cent growth in domestic volumes. In Nigeria, revenue from cement operations (including haulage revenue) rose by 30.1 per cent YoY to nearly NGN371.6bn. Dangote Cement Ghana Ltd contributed revenue of NGN14.1bn in 2013, an increase of nearly 15.2 per ...
EAPCC pretax profit hit by rising costs
East African Portland Cement Co (EAPCC) said on Wednesday its pretax profit more than halved for the six months ended December due to rising administration and sales costs. Portland's pretax profit fell to KES171m (US$2m) from KES376.5m in the same period in 2012. The Kenyan firm, which also operates in Uganda, said its total revenues rose 0.4 per cent to KES4.57bn, while cost of sales i...
Gresik inks loan facility for Rembang construction
PT Semen Gresik, part of the Semen Indonesia group, has as secured a letter of credit (L/C) facility to help finance the construction of its Rembang greenfield works in Central Java, Indonesia. The facility agreement, worth INDR1.4trn (US$122.53m), was signed on Friday by Semen Gresik president director Gatot Kustyadji and state lender Bank Mandiri institutional banking director Abdul Rachman...
Conch full-year net profit rises 48.3%
Anhui Conch Cement Co reported a 48.3 per cent YoY increase in profit attributable to shareholders during 2013 to CNY9.38bn (US$1.5bn) from CNY6.33bn a year ago. Turnover increased 20.75 per cent to CNY55.26bn from CNY45.77bn in 2012. In accordance with PRC Accounting Standards, the group’s revenue amounted to CNY55.3bn, a YoY increase of 20.28 per cent. Sales by region Clinker and cemen...