Cement News tagged under: Supply & Demand
Japan: towards higher profits07 July 2020, Published under Cement NewsWith an ageing population and requirement for more construction investment, the Japanese cement industry faces many challenges. There is a need for the sector to return to profitable pricing levels and modernise its production facilities, particularly as energy conservation and emissions reduction requirements shift from a domestic to a global focus. By Hajime Inoue, Japan Credit Rating Agency Ltd, Japan. While medium-term cement demand is robust, Japan’s ageing population and lagging... |
East African prospects16 June 2020, Published under Cement NewsThe east African cement markets of Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi and Burundi have continued to experience rising levels of cement consumption over recent years with investments in infrastructure and affordable housing. However, the COVID-19 crisis is likely to take its toll on cement consumption growth in 2020. Uganda has both one of the largest economies and cement industries in East Africa, with capacity growth fuelled by growing confidence on the back of expected oil revenues The... |
Southeast Asia’s capacity conundrum09 June 2020, Published under Cement NewsSoutheast Asia’s vibrant cement industry faces a serious but not insurmountable challenge from the current COVID-19 pandemic. In the long-run, structural overcapacity will be the key force of change, as it exerts pressure on business models, forces consolidation and calls time on new capacity. Figure 1: ASEAN GDP growth rates, 2019A-2021F Southeast Asia, which in this article relates primarily to the 10 nations making up the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) includ... |
Looking to the West08 June 2020, Published under Cement NewsFollowing the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr Weiping Ma, CEO of West China Cement, provides an update on the company’s operations and the virus’ impact on the Chinese cement industry. Ian Riley, CEO of the World Cement Association, of which the company is a member, also provides some essential context. Figure 1: the Chinese operations of West China Cement ICR: What is West China Cement’s corporate background and how had it been performing pre-coronavirus? Dr Weiping... |
Malaysia – finding its resolve02 June 2020, Published under Cement NewsWithin southeast Asia, Malaysia represents one of the largest consumers of cement per capita. The lacklustre demand trends seen in the past 4-5 years were forecast to ameliorate in 2020 due to an influx of government-backed projects. However, as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on economies and industries, the impact on demand remains to be seen. By Manas Tamotia, LEK Consulting, Singapore. Given that Malaysia’s cement sector was showing a resolve to rationalise and yield long-term value, LEK... |
Impact of COVID-19 on global cement markets01 June 2020, Published under Cement NewsOver the course of just a few months the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the global cement market landscape completely and, as the situation continues to unfold, visibility is low. Within the context of this unprecedented experience, Paul Roger, head of Exane BNP Paribas’ building materials team, gives his view on cement demand growth in 2020 and 2021, as well as thoughts on whether cement pricing will hold and what the industry can do to protect cash flow. He also underlines why... |
Colombia: market in transition18 May 2020, Published under Cement NewsFollowing a poor performance in recent years, the Colombian cement sector seems to be on the cusp of a new era. Although the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is yet to be understood, a steady pipeline of construction projects over the next few years should support rising cement prices and a positive cement demand forecast, argues Bancolombia. By Jairo Julian Aquedelo Restrepo, Bancolombia, Colombia. Ecocementos is Colombia’s newest cement market entrant having started operations in ... |
HeidelbergCement’s Nordic light11 May 2020, Published under Cement NewsThe countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden are part of HeidelbergCement Group’s Northern and Eastern Europe-Central Asia division. In an exclusive interview, ICR speaks with Giv K Brantenberg, general manager of HeidelbergCement Northern Europe, to find out about the company’s engagement with these three Nordic markets. ICR speaks with Giv K Brantenberg, general manager of HeidelbergCement Northern Europe ICR: How are the construction markets in Denmark, Norway and Sweden perf... |
Nordic cement’s green shoots04 May 2020, Published under Cement NewsThe Nordic cement industry is a relatively small player in Europe. Still, its plants are some of the most advanced in the world and are pioneering projects for alternative fuels and carbon capture and storage. The region entered 2020 with expectations of improved sales, driven by infrastructure projects and hopes of a housing recovery. However, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to inhibit this growth. Owned by CRH, Finnsementti’s 1.1Mta cement plant at Parainen saw the domestic mar... |
Russia picks up the pace27 April 2020, Published under Cement NewsFollowing a stagnation of the Russian cement market in recent years, domestic cement producers are expected to see moderate growth in demand in 2020. However, as the government ramps up its national construction projects, market expansion is forecast to accelerate from 2021 onwards. By Alexey Semenov, GS-Expert LLC, Russia. While office construction was down in 2019, other construction markets offset the segment’s decline, resulting in an expanding non-residential construction s... |