Cement News from International Cement Review

International - 31 March 2020

Indian cement dealers expect volumes to decline 35-40%

Following the impacts of COVID-19, Indian cement dealers are expecting volumes for March to decline by 35-40 per cent YoY and April to be a wash-out, according to The Financial Express. Volumes had been reportedly growing at 10-12 per cent YoY in the east, and 4-5 per cent YoY in the west and central regions. However, cement dispatches have stopped since 21 March and all major cement plants a...

International - 31 March 2020

New plant investments in Zimbabwe

Livetouch Investments is set to invest around US$15m towards the construction of a cement plant in Hwange, Zimbabwe. Sino-Zimbabwe Cement Co is also planning to set up a plant in a similar location, according to The Sunday News. Livetouch is reportedly at an advanced stage of obtaining an Environmental Impact Assessment certificate. The location of the plant is due to its close proximity to...

Trading - 27 March 2020

Armenia set to extend import duty on cement

Armenia’s National Assembly passed at the first reading the amendments to extend the validity of the state duty set on cement imports until 31 December 2020. The country has imposed a AMD14,000/t duty on cement imports from Iran and other countries since it ratified the legislation on 3 June 2019, a law that expires on 1 April 2020. "Over a period between July and December, the volumes of ce...

Freight Markets - 27 February 2020

Dry bulk shipping sees falling freight rates

The first two months of 2020 have seen freight rates for dry bulk shipping fall due to seasonality, higher fuel costs and disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Panamax and Handysize earnings declined to US$3535/day and US$3502/day, respectively, reports Denmark-based global shipping organisation BIMCO. While rates have a history of dipping at the start of a new year, the higher cos...

Corporate - 31 March 2020

BUA provides funds for COVID-19 relief in Nigeria

Nigeria’s BUA has fulfilled a pledge by transferring NGN1bn (US$2.6m) of funds to the COVID-19 relief account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. In addition, the group also announced another donation of NGN300m to Sokoto, Edo and Ogun states to further assist an adequate COVID-19 response. These additional donations will be made on behalf of its BUA Cement subsidiary which has major producti...

Environmental - 31 March 2020

European cement industry welcomes well-designed European carbon border mechanism

The European cement association, CEMBUREAU, has welcomed the prospect of an EU carbon border mechanism although this requires a number of design principles, said the association in a statement. In the initial phase the mechanism, which should be based on verified direct and indirect emissions from imports to the EU, should be complementary to the free allowances of the EU emissions trading s...

Recent Orders - 30 March 2020

CIMCO awards Gebr Pfeiffer contract for Togo mill

CIMCO, part of the CIM Metal Group, has awarded Gebr Pfeiffer the contract for an MVR 6000 C-6 mill for its grinding plant in Lomé, Togo. Gebr Pfeiffer will supply the mill and the process design while Intercem will build the grinding plant. The MVR 6000 C-6 mill will be used to grind cements ranging from CEM I to CEM IV. The mill has a drive power of 6400kkW to produce CEM I at 370tph with ...