PPC - April 2016

According to PPC, cement consumption in South Africa reached 13Mt in 2015, up 7.7 per cent on the previous year. The growth is attributed to strong demand from the construction sector, particularly projects involving new power stations and hydroelectric plants. The opening quarter of the year saw the fastest sales growth YoY with 15.6 per cent. The second quarter was far more subdued with 1.5 per cent but was followed by more than seven per cent expansion in the last two quarters of the year.

Meanwhile, in line with its vision to establish a vertically integrated materials business, PPC has been given the go ahead for its acquisition of 3Q Mahuma Concrete, the largest independently-owned ready-mixed concrete supplier in South Africa. The deal, which includes 3Q’s branches in Limpopo, North West, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and Mozambique, will complement PPC’s existing Pronto ready-mixed business.