Cement News tagged under: Kenya

RSS feed

Kenya’s cement consumption leaps further ahead of production

19 August 2013, Published under Cement News

Kenya’s cement industry, the largest in East Africa, will benefit from increased government spending on infrastructure projects and investors should buy shares on price dips, according to Kestrel Capital East Africa Ltd. “Increasing government capital expenditure in power and transport infrastructure projects will aid cement consumption growth,” the Nairobi-based brokerage said. Domestic consumption is growing at a faster rate than production, and Kenya’s market is expected to consume 81 p...

Bamburi confident on second-half turnaround

08 August 2013, Published under Cement News

Kenya's Bamburi Cement reported a 12 per cent decline in pretax profit for the first six months of 2013 but is confident of a second-half turnaround in two of its core East African markets. In the six months to the end of June 2013, the Lafarge Group company posted a pretax profit of KES3.270m (US$37.46m) as turnover fell 18 per cent YoY to KES15.8bn. These results came against a backdrop of uncertainty over an election in its domestic market of Kenya and a slowdown in export markets. H...

ARM Cement denies pollution claims

08 August 2013, Published under Cement News

ARM Cement has denied claims of causing environmental pollution in the Kenyan coastal town of Kilifi, saying that its operations meet international practices and standards. CEO Pradeep Paunrana assured the residents living within the cement maker’s proximity that they are not exposed to pollution caused by cement manufacturing from its process.  “Operations are pollution-free within and without the factory and we challenge anybody of contrary opinion to prove us wrong on this,” he said, add...

ARM's 1H13 pretax profit rises 28%, Kenya

10 July 2013, Published under Cement News

An increase in sales has helped ARM Cement, Kenya's second-largest cement producer, to achieve a double-digit rise in pretax profit. Pretax profit for the six months ended June jumped to KES1bn (US$11.51m), a rise of 28 per cent YoY, the company said in a statement. Cement sales rose by 28 per cent YoY in the reporting period. The company, which operates a 0.75Mta clinker plant at Kaloeni, near Mombasa, and a 1Mta grinding works in Athi River, has a total grinding capacity of 1Mta. It...

Athi River calls for use of locally-manufactured product

01 July 2013, Published under Cement News

Athi River Mining Tanzania Ltd is seeking the government’s intervention to stop sub-standard imports entering the local market. Concerns have been raised recently over the quality of imports into the East Africa region amidst claims that some manufacturers are using local agents that are unqualified leading to sub-standard products. Calls have been made for all cement imports to be subject to the same technical standards and regulations as local cement. Rick Ashley, chairman of ARM Cem...

Kenya: confidence running high for East African Portland Cement

10 June 2013, Published under Cement News

Investors in East African Portland Cement Company saw the cement manufacturer’s share price rally to a 12-month high at the end of trading on Friday. Shareholders hope that the company will post a profit in the full-year period ending 31June. Local analysts confirm that confidence is returning and investors can expect the cement maker to post a profit in the full-year period, having previously been in the loss-making territory. “There’s expectation of good performance and better turnover ...

ARM Cement boosted by higher sales

21 March 2013, Published under Cement News

ARM Cement, Kenya's second-largest producer, has reported an eight per cent advance in 2012 net profit and says it expects improved profitability on the back of new capacity. Formerly known as Athi River Mining, the company said in a statement that net income advanced to KES1.25bn (US$14.6m) in the first 12 months of December. Cement sales rose 64 per cent after its market share increased in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. That helped turnover increase by 39 per cent to KES11.4bn. For the f...

Bamburi Cement 2012 pretax profit down 15%

01 March 2013, Published under Cement News

Bamburi Cement has reported a 15 per cent decline in pretax profit for full year 2012 to KES7.17bn (US$83m) as it is impacted by lower gains on its foreign currency holdings, Reuters has reported. Bamburi Cement, which is part of the Lafarge group, said turnover edged up four per cent to KES37.bn but higher costs drove operating down 14 per cent. "The group anticipates underlying cement demand to continue growing in the region despite a slow start in Kenya influenced by the election pe...

East African Portland Cement eyes expansion

26 February 2013, Published under Cement News

Kenya’s East African Portland Cement Co (EAPCC) is exploring the option of expanding its operations both at home and in neighbouring Tanzania, according to reports by Reuters. “We are now discussing the financing of these projects,” Reuters quoted managing director, Kephar Tande as saying. Cost cutting measures and improved cement sales helped EAPCC post a profit for the first six months of last year. EAPCC made a pretax profit of KES376.27m (US$4.3m) for the six months ended December, co...

Hima Cement to curb emissions, Uganda

04 February 2013, Published under Cement News

Hima Cement Factory is about to embark on an environmental upgrade to improve emissions at its plant in Kasese district, Uganda. The cement producer is to begin a project in the next few months to curb emissions, according to reports in the Daily Monitor, following concerns by locals over the effect on the surrounding areas and nearby residents,   However, David Njoroge, general manager of the Kasese factory, said the plant is to install a bag filter that will significantly reduce the em...