Cement News tagged under: Morocco

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Moroccan cement demand drops 5.4% in 2014

03 February 2015, Published under Cement News

The Moroccan cement market contracted by 5.4 per cent to 14.1Mt in 2014, reaching a new low as demand hits a level not seen since 2008. The country’s construction sector remains depressed with 177,300 dwellings starting construction but no advances in social housing or self-construction. In addition, the higher-end real estate and tourist markets no longer provide relief. Historically-low interest rates are also unable to reinvigorate the market and economic uncertainty weighs heavily on ...

Morocco’s cement demand falls 5.4% in 2014

20 January 2015, Published under Cement News

The fall in Morocco’s cement consumption declined by 5.4 per cent, following a 6.3 per cent reduction in 2013, according to the Moroccan Economics and Finance Ministry (DEPF). The positive trend is attributed to good sales in March, August, October and December 2014, when sales advanced 8.2, 26.5, 1.4 and 0.6 per cent, respectively.

Ciments du Maroc posts positive 1H14 results

06 October 2014, Published under Cement News

Ciments du Maroc saw turnover increase to MAD1.63bn (US$185m) in 1H14, up 16.4 per cent from MAD1.4bn the same period the previous year. However, the company also experienced a 22 per cent rise in costs from MAD976.47m in 1H13 to MAD1.19bn, particularly in terms of raw materials and labour costs. This resulted in an operating profit of MAD444.234m, 7.8 per cent lower than the MAD481.56m noted in the first half of 2013. But a substantial reduction in financial charges helped net profit to ...

Morocco’s market demand falls 5% in August

17 September 2014, Published under Cement News

The Moroccan cement market is not about to recover. The latest figures indicate a third-consecutive year of contraction, according to APC, the Moroccan cement producers' association. The cement market has contracted at the end of August by 4.98 per cent to 9.3Mt, the latest data shows. The fall in sales, which started in 2012, has been due to a low residential housing demand, attributed to rising real estate and building material prices. In the first quarter of 2014, housing starts feel...

Morocco: Lafarge turnover slips 2.1% in 1H14

16 September 2014, Published under Cement News

Lafarge’s Moroccan subsidiary, Lafarge Ciments, saw turnover in 1H14 slip by 2.1 per cent to MAD2.56bn (US$298m) as  prices and a favourable product mix only partially offset by 3.6 per cent a 4.4 per cent decline in sales. Consolidated net income was down 5.1 per cent to MAD725m. For the second part of the year, cement demand is expected to remain weak and Lafarge is forecast to see its turnover down 1.5 per cent.

Decline in housing starts dent Moroccan demand

15 July 2014, Published under Cement News

The first half of 2014 has seen cement sales in Morocco experience a 4.4 per cent decline to 7.435Mt, latest figures released by the country's cement producers' association, APC, show. Industry analysts expect Morocco to experience a further year of decreasing sales after deliveries to the domestic market were down 6.3 per cent YoY at the end of 2013. According to Attaijari Intermediation, a 4.4 per cent drop in domestic cement sales is forecast by the end of 2014, mainly due to a signifi...

LH Merger: LatAm, Asia, Africa

07 July 2014, Published under Cement News

The Lafarge Holcim merger is being viewed as a good geographical fit in emerging markets given Lafarge’s strong presence in the Middle East and Africa, and Holcim’s significant exposure to Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. However, regional overlaps in certain key markets are likely lead to the expected disposal of assets. Latin America Moves to address anti-trust concerns already appear to be underway with Lafarge last month confirming the sale of its cement operations in Ec...

Moroccan cement sales notes 4.5 per cent drop in May

10 June 2014, Published under Cement News

Cement sales in Morocco continue to decline as dispatches in May fell 4.46 per cent, bringing the year-to-date fall to 3.37 per cent. The largest decrease was noted in the region of Oued Eddahab-Lagouira where sales plunged 18.5 per cent YoY to 13,273t. In Casablanca sales slipped 1.9 per cent to 835,469t in May 2014. However, in Guelmim-Es-Smar sales jumped 27.4 per cent to 97,353t. Moroccan cement producers have seen the domestic market contract significantly since 2012 when sales fe...

Cement price rise 2.5% in Morocco

04 June 2014, Published under Cement News

The price of a bag of cement in Morocco will rise between 2-2.5 per cent to MAD1400/t (US$170), mainly on the back of higher fuel prices. In addition, cement stocks have decreased by 3.37 per cent between January-May 2014.

Ciments du Maroc to invest in grinding unit

03 June 2014, Published under Cement News

Ciments du Maroc will be investing MAD170m (US$20.7m) in a new grinding unit in Jorf Lasfar, 110km southwest of Casablanca. The grinding centre will have a capacity of around 0.45Mta. Located 5km from the port of Jorf Lasfar, the facility will include a horizontal cement mill, two rotary eight-nozzle bagging machines, automatic truck loading and two bulk loading stations. Storage for raw materials will include 2 x 4000t of clinker, 2200t of limestone, 1200t of gypsum and 800t of fly ash. ...