Cement News tagged: International
Spain’s demand for cement contracts 18% in May
Cement consumption in Spain has fallen 17.8 per cent YoY to 1.144Mt in May as construction works halted in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Oficemen, the country’s cement association. However, cement exports increased 11 per cent YoY while imports fell 55.6 per cent YoY. In May output from domestic cement plants. declined 5.6 per cent YoY to 1.4Mt, when compared with 1.5Mt of...
Pakistan reports weaker export revenues although volumes rise in 11MFY20
The Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) of Pakistan has released cement export data for the eleven months of July 2019 to May 2020 in addition to April production data for 10MFY20. Export revenues declined in dollar terms even though volumes increased, reflecting a weaker global market for cement and clinker. Pakistan's cement industry earned USD242.50m of export revenue by exporting 6.562M...
Bangladesh cement producers demand income tax withdrawal
Bangladesh’s cement manufacturers have urged the government to withdraw the advance income tax (AIT) and high customs duty levied on clinker imports in order to ensure the industry’s survival. In a post-budget press briefing led by the Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA), the industry argued that the non-adjustable AIT (advance income tax), which is authorised under two subsect...
Ethiopia's cement prices begin to stabilise
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has confirmed that cement prices have been stabilising in the country, as a result of regulatory measures taken by the Ministry, according to New Business Ethiopia. Cement prices had almost doubled to around ETB450/50kg bag (US$13) recently, reportedly due to some major suppliers not producing at full capacity and issues with hoarding of the product...
Carthage Cement begins exporting cement to Italy
Tunisia’s Carthage Cement launched its first export shipment of 4100t of EC-certified Portland cement to Italy last Friday. The dispatch is reportedly part of a larger contract to supply 250,000t of cement and clinker to Europe. "Our company has got a certification of the products in compliance with the requirements of the European standards, which has helped us be the first to enter the...
China's cement production rises 9% YoY in May
Cement production increased to 248.69Mt in May 2020, up 11.3 per cent from April and 8.6 per cent from the corresponding period last year, according to the South China Morning Post. The recovery has been attributed to resumed and stronger construction activity, following the lifting of the restrictions put in place by the government control the spread of the coronavirus outbreak earlier thi...
Indian demand decline slows in May
Despite expectations of a significant decline, Indian cement dispatches are estimated to have only fallen by 15-20 per cent in May, compared with an 80-86 per cent drop in the previous month. The positive development has been attributed to pent-up retail demand and the resumption of some construction projects. Cement prices have also been reported to increase by 0.8 per cent MoM in June, acc...
BCMA calls for withdrawal of import tax
The Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA) has called for the withdrawal of a non-adjustable advance income tax (AIT), which is applied at both the import and supply stage, according to The Financial Express. "So far we know this non-adjustable tax is not applicable for any other sectors. I also do not know whether such type of tax is realised in other countries," said BCMA presi...
Planning for 7Mta plant in east Africa continues
Martine Shigela, regional commissioner for Tanga, Tanzania, has confirmed that Sinoma and Hengya Cement have now finalised payment procedures for the residents of Mtimbwani, Mkinga District, as the planning for the largest cement project in east Africa continues. "We want to see this project being implemented and ultimately grow so that residents could benefit economically," said Mr Shigell...
Ghana’s cement producers not benefitting from power relief
Following Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo’s announcement of the introduction of a relief on electricity to support individuals and businesses, cement producers and steel companies located within the Tema Free Zone enclave say they have been denied such government support, considerably affecting their business. The affected parties, including CIMAF Ghana Ltd, have only received a rebate of 22 per...
Senegal sees contraction in cement sector
Cement exports from Senegal have fallen by 42.3 per cent MoM in March 2020 while domestic sales slipped by 0.5 per cent, according to ANSD, the national agency for statistics and demography. YoY the drop was 41.5 per cent for exports while domestic sales edged up 0.2 per cent. Output at the country’s cement plants declined by 9.5 per cent MoM and 7.7 per cent YoY.
Peru’s cement demand plummets by 69% in May
Cement consumption in Peru fell by 69.1 per cent YoY to 298,300t in May 2020, according to the country’s cement association, Asocem. Cement production fell by 70 per cent to 263,000t in May 2020 when compared with May 2019 but recovered considerably when compared with April 2020 when COVID-19 impacted operations at the country’s cement plants. Clinker output fell 93.9 per cent YoY to 46,000t...
Dangote Cement starts Senegal exports and sets new target
Nigeria’s Dangote Cement exported its first shipment of clinker to Senegal during the weekend. The 27,800t shipment set off from the company’s terminal in Apapa Port, Lagos. "This vessel, being the maiden ship is exporting 27,800t to Senegal and this is just a tip of the iceberg as to what we have in plan. What we have in plan is to send clinker from Nigeria to Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Gh...
Telangana producers asked to cut prices
Telangana’s Minister of Municipal Administration, KT Rama Rao, and Prashanth Reddy held a meeting with cement industry leaders to ask them to reduce prices to INR230/bag so that the real estate sector in the Indian state could be stimulated faster. Cement companies have reportedly been providing cement at this price since 2016 and the government has requested that the same price be maintain...
Federal Budget FY21 impacts positively on the cement industry in Pakistan
Hammad Azhar, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Industries and Production, on June 12 unveiled a tax-free federal budget for FY20-21 in Parliament with a total outlay of PKR7.136trn (US$43.2m), to spur economic recovery following the economy's contraction in the outgoing fiscal year for the first time since 1952, due to COVID-19. He proposed no increase in salaries of its employees and pension...
Economic survey reviews Pakistan cement industry for FY19-20
The Pakistan government has released its economic survey for FY19-20 on the eve of the Federal Budget FY20-21. The survey reviews government incentives for the cement industry, accounts of dispatches, export and mining lease issues. The government has labelled the construction and cement industry a significant source of growth and investment in the future. It has already introduced an incent...