Cement News tagged under: Europe

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Construction output down by 1.8% in euro area

24 April 2015, Published under Cement News

Seasonally-adjusted production in the construction sector fell in February 2015 fell by 1.8 per cent in the euro area (EA19) and by 1.2 per cent in the EU28 compared with January 2015, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In January 2015, production in construction grew by 1.6 and 0.6 per cent, respectively. On an annual comparative basis, production in construction fell by 3.7 per cent in the euro area and by 2.4 per cent in the EU28 in...

Buzzi Unicem returns to a net profit

30 March 2015, Published under Cement News

On a turnover just 0.1 per cent lower at EUR2506.4m, Buzzi Unicem's underlying EBITDA did increase by 7.1 per cent to EUR404.8m in 2014, while at the headline level there was a 4.8 per cent advance to EUR422.7m. Following a 23 per cent reduction in impairment charges, depreciation and amortisation, the trading profit (EBIT) more than doubled from EUR86.5m to EUR178.7m. After a net interest charge 52.1 per cent lower at EUR53.1m, the pre-tax profit jumped from just EUR16.0m to EUR175.6m. A...

Buzzi offer to purchase SACCI SpA accepted

27 March 2015, Published under Cement News

Buzzi Unicem announced today that further to its proposed purchase of a 99.5 per cent interest in the share capital of SACCI SpA, controlling shareholders have accepted the binding offer. Last week Buzzi announced that it had Buzzi Unicem is offering €120m for the stake in SACCI and the simultaneous relief of all outstanding liabilities from a previous debt restructuring agreement. Buzzi highlighted that execution of the contract is still subject to the endorsement of the banks and credit...

Production in construction up by 1.9% in euro area

25 March 2015, Published under Cement News

In January 2015 seasonally-adjusted production in the construction sector grew by 1.9 per cent in the euro area and by one per cent in the EUR28 compared with December 2014, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In December 2014, production in construction grew by 0.2 per cent in both zones. In January 2015 production in construction grew by three per cent YoY in the euro area and by 1.4 per cent in the EU28. Monthly comparison The inc...

HeidelbergCement ‘confident’ on 2015 outlook

19 March 2015, Published under Cement News

HeidelbergCement’s 2014 consolidated financial results show increases in revenue and operating income, and significant increases are expected for the year in hand. The group's turnover increased by four per cent last year to EUR12,614m, or by 8.4 per cent on a comparative basis, and the EBITDA improved by a 2.9 per cent to EUR2288m and the trading profit advanced by five per cent to EUR1595m, or by 12.9 per cent adjusting for currency movements and changes in the scope of consolidation. Af...

Buzzi Unicem proposes to acquire SACCI

19 March 2015, Published under Cement News

Buzzi Unicem is offering EUR120m for a 99.5 per cent stake in SACCI and the simultaneous relief of all outstanding liabilities from a previous debt restructuring agreement.  The proposal is seen as a further step in the consolidation of the fragmented Italian cement industry, where Buzzi Unicem is the second largest producer behind Italcementi.  SACCI presently operates four cement plants, representing a current combined cement capacity of some 2Mta and 31 ready-mixed concrete batching pl...

Germany: 2014 cement edges ahead

11 March 2015, Published under Cement News

Cement consumption in Germany rose by 2.2 per cent YoY in 2014 to 27.1Mt, according to data German Cement Works Association (VDZ), which also predicts further growth in 2015. "Significant catch-up effects from 2013 and mild weather really bolstered cement consumption, particularly in the first quarter of 2014," said Gerhard Hirth, President of VDZ. However, the generally reserved economic climate had a dampening effect on construction investment over the rest of the year. "We experienced co...

Vicat shows good profit growth in the USA, India and Africa

11 March 2015, Published under Cement News

Vicat’s turnover increased by six per cent in 2014 to EUR2422.7m and the EBITDA emerged 3.6 per cent ahead at EUR442m, while at unchanged parameters the increases would have been eight and seven per cent respectively. The trading profit rose by 12.3 per cent to EUR263.1m.The net financial charge was 8.2 per cent higher at EUR47.6m and after a slightly higher contribution from associates the pre-tax profit improved by 12.5 per cent to EUR203m. After a lower effective tax charge of 29.3 per...

Polish monthly production rises 16.1% YoY

11 March 2015, Published under Cement News

Cement production in Poland rose by 16.1 per cent to 720,4000t in February, while sales fell by 2.3 per cent to 722,300t, according to the Polish Association of Cement Producers (SPC). For the first two months of this year,  production grew 8.6 per cent to 1.24Mt, while sales increased 5.3 per cent to 1.36Mt. Last year,  Polish cement consumption increased by 6.6 per cent in 2014 to 15.59Mt, following a 6.1 per cent fall to 14.62Mt in 2013. Cement production, which had come down 7.5 per ce...

Macedonia: Usje's unconsolidated net profit falls

11 March 2015, Published under Cement News

Macedonia's sole cement producer Usje said on Tuesday its unconsolidated net profit fell five per cent to MKD1.46bn (EUR23.7m) in 2014. Operating revenue rose two per cent to MKD4.12bn last year, while operating costs were two per cent lower at MKD2.56bn, Usje said in an unconsolidated financial statement filed with the Macedonian Stock Exchange. Usje is owned by Greek building materials manufacturer Titan Cement.