Cement News tagged under: South Africa
South Africa’s long walk to recovery08 February 2022, Published under Cement NewsWhile 2021 saw some pick-up in South Africa’s cement market, analysts do not expect a full recovery before mid-2024. By Industry Insight, South Africa. As the COVID-19 mutation Omicron sweeps through the country, South African cement producers see market recovery postponed (Photo credit: AfriSam) The South African economy remains in crisis. Although there was a recovery in local production and consumption in 2021, record lows due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a lockdown-ravage... |
AfriSam executive calls for responsible cement manufacture01 February 2022, Published under Cement NewsHannes Meyer, cementitious executive at leading cement producer AfriSam, calls for improved an circular economy, responsible manufacturing practices and a level playing field for South African cement producers on carbon emissions. “To produce this valuable resource, we must start with mining our own deposits. We then process the ingredients through complex technologies that demand considerable financial investment and expertise,” he says. The range of products that result must form ... |
South African cement imports up 19% in 11M2101 February 2022, Published under Cement NewsCement imports into South Africa surged to their highest level in 2021 as they reached 161,555t in November despite the government drive to use domestically-produced product and banning imported cement from public sector construction projects. In October 2021 imports were significantly lower at 34,964t, down from 151,452t in the previous month. In the 11M21 imports volumes expanded 18.7 per cent YoY to 1.097Mt with product coming mainly from Vietnam and Pakistan. |
Natal Portland Cement secures five-year loan27 December 2021, Published under Cement NewsAs part of Natal Portland Cement’s (NPC) strategy to enhance its capital structure and investments opportunities, company CEO and Chairman, Matias Cardell has announced the approval of a five-year loan by Standard Bank totalling ZAR500m (US$32.1m). “This transaction shows recognition from the largest South African bank on NPC’s solid results and our ability to generate sustainable cash flows," added Mr Cardell. “Thanks to the turnaround process we began in 2019, we have shown that man... |
InterCement's cement volumes remain stable in 3Q21 at 5.4Mt01 December 2021, Published under Cement NewsInterCement reports that its total cement volume remained at a solid 5.4Mt in the 3Q21, reflecting stability YoY due to the sizeable comparison base of last year, when post pandemic pent-up demand enhanced the base. The cement industry in Argentina remained on a strong pace, with Loma Negra volumes up eight per cent YoY, helped by some recovery of bulk segment. Argentine volumes expanded by 8.4 per cent versus the 3Q20. InterCement’s Brazilian volumes sold reached 2.5Mt, despite... |
Pakistani cement exporters face several challenges24 November 2021, Published under Cement NewsThe exports of cement and clinker from Pakistan have been affected by several factors, including a change in political set-up in Afghanistan, the persistent deadlock in trade between Islamabad and Delhi, anti-dumping duties, and the financial crunch in Sri Lanka, according to Inayat Ullah Niazi, CFO of DG Khan Cement. DG Khan exports its products to Afghanistan, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. As a result total cement exports declined by 40.4 p... |
PPC sees 20% YoY rise in revenue23 November 2021, Published under Cement NewsSouth Africa’s PPC Ltd has announced a 20 per cent YoY increase in revenue to ZAR5.13bn (US$324.5m) in the first half of the year, ended 30 September, compared with ZAR4.27bn in the year-ago period. The results were supported by a 12 per cent YoY rise in cement volumes. Group EBITDA advanced 13 per cent to ZAR945m from ZAR839m. Roland van Wijnen, CEO, said: "Team PPC delivered a solid performance, showing results from our efforts to reposition the business and ensure financial sustainabilit... |
Western Cape provincial government challenges cement import ban10 November 2021, Published under Cement NewsSouth Africa’s Western Cape provincial government has reportedly challenged the recent decision by the National Treasury to ban the use of imported cement for state-awarded contracts, saying there was no consultation before the decision, according to Business Day. The provincial government noted that the ban is likely to cause price hikes and therefore, make projects more expensive. The move came after local cement producers argued that cheap imports were harming their businesses. The b... |
Sephaku Cement experiences second kiln stoppage22 October 2021, Published under Cement NewsSouth Africa’s Sephaku Cement has experienced a further kiln stoppage, unrelated to the previous event announced on 30 September 2021. This second plant stoppage began on 16 October 2021 and is expected to finish on 26 October. The outage has been necessitated by the repair of kiln internals to prevent damage to major components. The kiln was inspected in previous maintenance stoppages and therefore, this damage was unexpected. However, a long-term solution to this issue has now been iden... |
PPC not to raise capital and focus on growth29 September 2021, Published under Cement NewsSouth Africa-based PPC has successfully refinanced its debt and is close to finalising its restructuring. Therefore, the company will not require a capital raise, said its CEO, Roland van Wijnen. The new debt facilities of ZAR2.1bn have an extended maturity profile with the long-term facility of ZAR1.5bn being repayable over 3-5 years. The margins were reduced across all facilities to reflect PPC’s improved credit risk profile. “The organisation is now in calmer seas after a hectic 18 mo... |