Cement News tagged under: Kazakhstan

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Fitch Ratings affirms and withdraws Central Asia Cement’s rating

13 September 2013, Published under Cement News

Fitch Ratings has affirmed and simultaneously withdrawn Central Asia Cement's (CAC) National Long-Term Rating at 'BB-(kaz)' with Positive Outlook and senior unsecured bond rating at 'B(kaz)'. Fitch says it will no longer have sufficient information to maintain the ratings, as CAC has chosen to stop participating in the rating process. "Accordingly, Fitch will no longer provide ratings or analytical coverage for CAC," said Fitch in a statement. Key rating drivers include the bouyant Ka...

Steppe Cement 1H turnover boosted by higher prices

10 July 2013, Published under Cement News

In the first half of the year, Kazakhstan-based cement producer Steppe Cement reported an eight per cent decline in volumes YoY but turnover rose by six per cent thanks to higher prices. During the January-June 2013 period, the company sold 564,440t of cement compared with 615,838t in the first half of 2012. Overall sales in Kazakhstan rose by 11 per cent during the period an the share of imports rose marginally from 14 to 15 per cent. Steppe Cement saw its market share drop from 19 p...

Karcement to complete Kiln Line No 5 upgrade by 3Q13, Kazakhstan

03 May 2013, Published under Cement News

Karcement, part of the Central Asia Cement group, has said that the upgrade of Kiln Line No 5 will be completed by the third quarter of 2013 and forms part of the company's modernisation programme.  The new line will have a capacity of 1.2Mta and use dry-process technology. "Until now 85 per cent of the modernization works has been done. The line is scheduled to start a full-capacity operation in late October 2013, the company’s CEO, Gan Chee Liong, told local press. The project is part...

Steppe Cement’s full-year profit rises on increased sales and prices

25 April 2013, Published under Cement News

Kazakhstan-based cement producer Steppe Cement Ltd on Wednesday confirmed that pretax profit more than doubled in the year ended 2012 thanks to sales that were up by almost 10 per cent YoY and higher prices. Group revenue rose to US$120.17m for the year compared to US$96.11m in 2011 while pretax profit was US$12.04m compared to US$5.55m the year before. Cement sales increased by 9.8 per cent to 1.35Mt against 1.23Mt in 2011 while selling prices rose 14 per cent, well over the overall in...

Steppe Cement's quarter sales volumes slip 2%

09 April 2013, Published under Cement News

Kazakhstan-based producer Steppe Cement reported a two per cent drop in sales volumes for the first three months of the year. In a recent trading statement, the company said it sold 166,121t of cement in 1Q13 compared to 170,080t in the 1Q12. However, revenue rose 13 per cent YoY to KZT2272m (EUR11.6m). The company said it chose to maintain high cement prices during the quarter due to production constraints in the last quarter as a result of an exceptionally harsh winter. “We expect to...

Vicat grows in Asia

08 March 2013, Published under Cement News

France-based cement major Vicat reported a 1.2 per cent rise in turnover in 2012 to €2292.2m, but the EBITDA declined by 10.9 per cent to €437.4m and the trading profit fell by 20.8 per cent to €245.2m. The company booked a pre-tax profit 20 per cent lower at €207.6m and the net attributable fell by 21.1 per cent to €129.1m. Net debt was 6.2 per cent higher at €1,144m and represents 46.4 per cent of total shareholders, or 53.7 per cent if minorities are excluded. Capital investment las...

Fitch affirms Central Asia Cement rating revises Outlook upward, Kazakhstan

17 December 2012, Published under Cement News

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Central Asia Cement's (CAC) National Long-Term Rating at 'BB-(kaz)' and revised the joint stock company's Outlook to Positive from Stable. The agency has also affirmed CAC's senior unsecured KZT1.5bn bond rating at 'B(kaz)'. "The completion of Steppe Cement's capital increae reinforces CAC's financial structure and should allow financing of the investment in the Line 5 refurbishment, while reducing leverage," Fitch said in a statement, adding: "The group is sti...

Steppe Cement's share offer oversubscribed

03 December 2012, Published under Cement News

Kazakhstan-based cement producer Steppe Cement has announced that last month's offer for qualifying shareholders of 40m new shares in at 25p per share has been oversubscribed. Around 83 per cent of existing shareholders participated in the offer which resulted in an oversubscription of 34 per cent. The directors will scale back applications in accordance with the basis of allocation. The admission and dealing of the new shares will begin on AIM around the beginning of next week. The...

Steppe Cement to raise GBP10m Via Underwritten Offer

07 November 2012, Published under Cement News

Steppe Cement said Wednesday it intends to raise GBP10m (EUR12.5m) via an offer for subscription of 40 million new ordinary shares at 25 pence per share. Net proceeds of the offer are expected to be up to GBP9.67m after expenses and will be used toward the completion of the reconstruction of Dry Line 5, for general working capital requirements and, if required, to repay a portion of the company's short-term bank borrowings. The offer price represents a discount of 6.1% to the closing mid...

Fitch assigns Central Asia Cement 'BB-(kaz)' rating

29 October 2012, Published under Cement News

Fitch Ratings has assigned Central Asia Cement (CAC) a National Long-Term Rating of 'BB-(kaz)' with a Stable Outlook. The agency has also assigned the prospective 2.5 billion tenge notes to be issued by the company and guaranteed by its parent company Steppe Cement Ltd and by the affiliated company Karcement an expected rating of 'B(kaz)(EXP)'. The final rating is contingent on the receipt of final documents conforming to information already received. "The rating reflects CAC's solid c...