Thursday, May 12, 2011

SANTO DOMINGO: Cementos Santo Domingo participa en la versión del 2011 de Constru-Expo

Feria de la Construcción,Santo Domingo. La empresa Cementos Santo Domingo y la diversidad de servicios que ofrece a la industria de la construcción, llevará su contenido basado en innovadores productos destinados a fortalecer la industria en la República Dominicana, a la más importante actividad mercadológica y promocional del sector, Constru-Expo 2011.

Cementos Santo Domingo (CSD), producto cuya preferencia crece en forma vertiginosa en la industria de la construcción en el país, estará presente en este evento que durante tres días exhibirá al país lo avances obtenidos por el sector, con sus productos, Cemento Carey, Guayacán y Hormiuniòn, de acuerdo a sus principales ejecutivos.

Esta empresa es el fruto de la sociedad con Cementos La Unión, de Valencia, España, y el grupo Abinader cuya fortaleza se extiende hasta convertirse en el mejor aliado del grupo español en el Caribe.

Para este particular e importante evento de la construcción, Cementos Santo Domingo estará presente en un stand que estará orientado a presentar al cliente y al visitante, lo que hace el grupo a favor del desarrollo del país, a partir de la industria de la construcción.

Los concurrentes podrán disfrutar en el stand de Cementos Santo Dominingo, los días 20,21 y 22 de mayo en curso, de la participación de grupos de baile, las finas atenciones del personal de la empresa, intercambios con ejecutivos, brindis y la entrega de camisetas, gorras y otros artículos que identifican la imagen y la calidad de sus productos.

CHILE: Capaco importará de Chile cemento a G. 40.000 la bolsa puesta en obra


La Cámara Paraguaya de la Construcción (Capaco) ya está en plena negociación con empresarios chilenos para importar cemento de ese país. Adelantaron que la bolsa, incluso puesta en una obra de Asunción y área metropolitana, les costará G. 40.000.


La Cámara de Minería de Chile ofreció a Capaco un cemento mucho más barato del que se está vendiendo en nuestro país, de producción local. La presidenta del gremio, Ana Lucy Porro, explicó que los mineros poseen su propia cementera y que están ofreciendo el material “en cantidades ilimitadas”.


Con la tecnología de punta de las cementeras de otros países, el pórtland de la Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) va quedando fuera de competencia. Mientras que el producto de INC se ofrece entre 50.000 y 55.000 guaraníes al comprador final, el de Chile estará vendiéndose por solo 40.000 guaraníes.


De acuerdo con lo señalado por Porro, Capaco está realizando gestiones para construir con cemento importado los 180 puentes que planea el Ministerio de Obras Públicas, ya que no se puede depender del material nacional. Sobre todo atendiendo a que la INC está produciendo un promedio de 40.000 bolsas por día, cuando la demanda diaria llega a las 80.000 bolsas.


La presidenta de Capaco destacó la gestión del sector privado para conseguir cemento ante la producción limitada de INC, ya que gracias a las 20.000 bolsas del material, importadas diariamente, el rubro de la construcción continúa creciendo y redistribuyendo ganancias en otros sectores de la economía nacional.


Añadió que la importación no solo está haciendo frente a la demanda no atendida por INC, sino que también regula los precios del sector, porque “la libre competencia sanea el mercado”.


Actualmente ingresan varias marcas de cemento extranjero a nuestro país, como el Yguazú, de Brasil; Comodoro, de Argentina; Artigas, de Uruguay. Estos productos se están ofreciendo entre 37.000 y 38.000 guaraníes puesto en puerto, IVA incluido, e incluso se está trayendo de Portugal a 48.000 guaraníes y todos son más baratos que el material de la INC.


En contra de la suba


La Capaco actualmente está en contra del incremento oficial de precio que planea realizar la INC, no solo porque los precios de cementeras extranjeras son más bajos, sino también porque la estatal podría quedar fuera de competencia y hasta desaparecer con el tiempo. “Nosotros veníamos advirtiendo hace dos años que no queremos que INC vaya a la bancarrota, pero no nos escucharon”, subrayó Porro.

Plan de INC 

Las autoridades actuales de la Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) planean incrementar el precio oficial de su producto de 35.000 a 42.000 guaraníes por bolsa. De darse este encarecimiento, la INC podría quedar fuera de competencia, según la advertencia de Capaco, porque los empresarios preferirán importar, ya que les saldría más barato que comprar de la cementera estatal.

MEXICO: Campañas electorales impulsan a cementera Apasco

La empresa dice que previo a las elecciones de este año y del 2011, la demanda total se reactivó en parte de sector público 

De cara a las elecciones federales de 2012 y en medio de la agitación política, la cementera Apasco ya sintió y saboreó su efervescencia, según el reporte financiero difundido desde sus oficinas centrales en Suiza.

“En México, Holcim Apasco vendió más cemento y particularmente más agregados. En el periodo previo a las elecciones de 2012 se percibió un mayor estímulo en el sector público”, informó la segunda mayor cementera del mundo, Holcim, que es la propietaria de Apasco en México.

Hasta el momento ninguna de las grandes cementeras en México había reconocido un impacto positivo en la demanda de cemento y agregados (principalmente grava y arena) por el entorno político previo a las elecciones federales del próximo año.

En México, el líder de mercado es Cemex (la cuarta más grande en el mundo por su capacidad de producción). A la regiomontana le sigue la suiza Holcim con Apasco, en la tercera posición se ubica la cooperativa Cruz Azul, en cuarto lugar está la ítalo-española-mexicana Corporación Moctezuma. En último lugar del país, se ubica el primer lugar de mundo, la francesa Lafarge.

La demanda de cemento, así como otros materiales para la industria de la construcción, es de los principales productos que utilizan los políticos para intentar atraer simpatizantes en las votaciones.

Recientemente el candidato de la “izquierda” a las elecciones para gobernador del Estado de México, Alejandro Encinas, dijo que a diferencia de sus adversarios políticos, no necesita “hacer guerra sucia, descalificar al adversario, comprar conciencias ni repartir despensas, bultos de cemento, varillas o dinero”.

Aunque las elecciones federales serán hasta el siguiente año, las campañas electorales para elegir gobernador del Estado de México y de otras entidades iniciaron el mes pasado ya que los comicios son en los próximos meses del 2011.

En este sentido, las campañas electorales ya plasmaron su efervescencia en la industria cementera mexicana. Al menos, así lo señala Holcim para el caso mexicano.

Según el reporte de la cementera suiza, en el primer trimestre del año Apasco incrementó 5.0% el precio del cemento en el país, aunque el volumen de ventas de cemento y clinker (cemento previo a la molienda o pulverización) disminuyó 1.5 por ciento.

Por su parte, también señala que el volumen de ventas de agregados en México aumentó 33.6% en el primer trimestre de 2011. Ese crecimiento se hizo acompañar de un incremento de 3.4% en los precios de dichos productos.

Reportes de años anteriores, publicados por El Semanario, señalaban que la industria cementera en el país generaba ventas anuales de 5,000 millones de dólares, de los cuales el 86% estaba concentrado en tres empresas: Cemex, Holcim Apasco y Cruz Azul.

AFRICA: NAMIBIA: Cement Price Anger

Complaints by consumers are flooding in over the price of cement, with dissatisfaction of price differences between competing cement brands in Namibia.

The anger is also directed at the average price for inland areas, which is said to have taken a leap from just under N$70 per 50-kilogramme bag of cement to nearly N$90 per bag.


Anecdotes by furious consumers show how the public is partly directing its anger to Government for an explanation, since it was "the government's promise that cement would be cheaper with the opening of the country's own cement plant at Otavi".

Yet, unlike with the first wave of disappointment by building material retailers two months ago, consumers' anger is directed at the entire cement market.

Namibia has about five cement companies that import cement products from China, Portugal, Brazil, as well as from South African cement manufacturer, AfriSam, which was the market leader before Ohorongo opened its doors at Otavi. The opening of the country' own cement company, Ohorongo Cement, induced the market with high expectations of lower cement prices and doing away with uncompetitive retail and distribution practices on the market.


Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry northern branch, where most of the complaints emanate from, says it is yet to pick up such consumer complaints, since addressing the retailers' concerns last month. The chairperson for the northern chamber, Thomas Indji, did nevertheless promise to look into the matter.

Complaints received thus far indicate that the price of cement has jumped from just under N$70 per bag to nearly N$90 per bag. Compounding the anger is the absence of a clear price difference between competing cement brands, something that has again prompted market speculation on the real reason for the closure of AfriSam office in the country.


AfriSam Namibia started winding up its Namibian operations in April, eventually closing is offices this month, which fired off market speculation of an unofficial agreement with Ohorongo Cement, similar to a proposed merger that the Namibian Competition Commission rejected on grounds of possible trade restrictions.

Both companies dismissed such speculation as unfounded, with the Chief Executive Officer for AfriSam South Africa, Dr Stephan Olivier, telling New Era that the closure was because "it makes economic sense to service customers out of our Johannesburg office and to quote prices that include transport costs".

AfriSam says it conducted a comprehensive commercial review of the Namibian market potential when Ohorongo Cement went operational and the economic reality was that AfriSam could not afford the fixed costs of a local presence in the country.

Likewise, Ohorongo Cement said it has a strict policy of being the cheapest above its competitors, hence saying joining forces with its competitors was out.

Cementing the market suspicion is that former AfriSam sales and marketing department staff members have migrated to the Ohorongo Cement sales and marketing department. Analysts contend that this is precisely what the proposed merger detailed, and which the competition commission rejected.

It has not been an easy start for Ohorongo Cement meeting outright objections from northern retailers, because of its initial approach to clients using their own transport. The issue was eventually resolved amicably, with the intervention of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry on behalf of retailers.

PAKISTAN: Fauji Cement’s new plant comes online

LAHORE: Fauji Cement’s new cement plant having a clinker capacity of 7200 tonnes per day has come online and is already showing fine results increasing clinker capacity from 1.1 billion tonnes to an astounding 2.22 billion tonnes. This new captive power plant is a German made having a capacity of 12 tonnes per hour and replaces about 170 tonnes of coal per day as fuel thereby reducing the soaring coal cost margins and enabling reductions in production costs. Moreover, the company is also planning to enhance this capacity to 36 tonnes per hour in the near future resulting in greater cost benefits for FCCL

EEUU: LAFARGE : Sells Its Cement and Concrete Assets in the Southeast United States for 760 MUSD

Lafarge (Paris:LG) announces the sale of its cement and concrete assets in the southeast United States to the Colombia-based conglomerate Cementos Argos for an enterprise value of 760 MUSD.

The cement assets sold include the Harleyville cement plant in South Carolina and the Roberta cement plant in Alabama, a cement grinding station in Atlanta (Georgia), and associated supporting cement terminals. Lafarge is also selling its ready-mix concrete units in this area of the US. The total revenues of these divested businesses were approximately 240 MUSD in 2010.

After completion of the deal, subject to the approval of competition authorities, Lafarge's North America operations will consist of 21 cement and grinding plants with a combined capacity of 19 million tons, as well as significant positions in our other product lines.

Bruno Lafont, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lafarge, said:

"North America is an essential pillar for the Group, where we have the ambition to be the undisputed leader in the building materials industry. This transaction creates value for our shareholders while maintaining a strong network of operations for future growth in North America".

NOTES TO EDITORS

Lafarge is the world leader in building materials, with top-ranking positions in all of its businesses: Cement, Aggregates & Concrete and Gypsum. With 76,000 employees in 78 countries, Lafarge posted sales of Euros 16.2 billion in 2010.

Lafarge was ranked 6th in the "Carbon Disclosure Project" and entered the global "Dow Jones Sustainability Index" in 2010 in recognition of its sustainable development actions. With the world's leading building materials research facility, Lafarge places innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and architectural creativity.

Additional information is available on the web site at www.lafarge.com

Argos is a producer of cement and ready mix with presence in Colombia, United States and the Caribbean; Argos posted sales of 1.6 billion dollars in 2010. In the cement business, Argos is the fifth largest cement producer in Latin America; it has nine cement plants, five cement grinder units, and five cement receiving and packaging terminals, with a total combined installed capacity of 12.8 million metric tons of cement per year. In the ready mix business, Argos is the fifth largest ready mix producer in the U.S.; it has 220 ready mix plants, with a total combined installed capacity of 10.5 million cubic meters of ready mix per year. Argos' business model is based on customer orientation and sustainable development. Additional information is available on the web site at www.argos.com.co

INDIA: India cement production to touch 320 mn tonnes this year

Cement production in the country is expected to increase to 315-320 million tonne by end of this financial year from the current 300 million tonne.

“The target was 290 million tonne by the end of this year, which we have already achieved. So, we expect the capacity to increase up to 320 million tonne by the year end,” NA Viswanathan, secretary general, Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA), said. CMA is targeting to achieve 550 million tonne capacity by 2020.

India is the second largest cement producing country after China with 137 large and 365 mini cement plants. The large plants employ 120,000 people, according to a recent report on the Indian cement industry published by CMA.

It costs Rs 500 crore to add one million tonne capacity, Viswanathan said while addressing the media on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry Green Building Centre (CII-GBC) here.

Stating that India was seeing an addition of almost 40 million tonne per year, he said in the last five years the production capacity has doubled.

In 1982, the entire cement industry produced 64 million tonne. “The current consumption is almost 80 per cent of the capacity. The demand is expected to grow at 8-9 per cent this year,” he said. The housing sector consumes about 65 per cent of the total production. As the capacity was increasing, he said the government should look at infrastructure development.

SOUTH AFRICA: Some concrete signs of construction recovery as April cement sales grow

Cement sales data for April showed the first increase this year at 1.1% as compared to last year. This is all the more impressive given that many building contractors had a mini-shutdown between Good Friday (April 22) and Workers'' Day (May 2), similar to their December closure.

If one adjusts for the number of sales days this April compared with last April, there was a 6.7% y/y increase according to the Cement and Concrete Institute.

Annual cement sales peaked in 2007 at 14.1 million tons before declining by 4.6% in 2008. The global financial crisis resulted in a further 12.5% slump in 2009, before the decline eased to a 7.8% last year.

In the first four months of this year there was only a 1.9% y/y fall. The prospects are that this year could see the first annual increase after three years of decline.

The 12-month moving average is now at 10.8 million tons, just barely above three quarters of the 2007 annual total. This near 25% decline in cement volumes has impacted on the profitability of cement producers.

PPC, South Africa''s largest cement producer, said in March that due to difficult trading conditions, financial results for the six months ending March 31 were expected to decrease by more than 30% compared with those for the six months ending March 31 2010.

PPC will next week release its interim results for the six months ended March this year. Real fixed capital spending inched higher in the final quarter of 2010, which was the third consecutive quarter of slow, but positive growth in this demand category.

This followed five quarters of contraction. In the final quarter of 2010, public corporations such as Eskom and Transnet raised their capital outlays, resulting in a rise in construction spending in the electricity and transport sub-sectors. Private business enterprises also increased their real fixed capital formation marginally, notably in the mining and communication sectors. Mining is a large user of cement for lining tunnels and shafts.

The sector has been boosted by the rise in commodity prices.

AFRICA: NIGERIA: Allow importation to reduce cement price, union tells Fed Govt



The National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, yesterday urged the Federal Government to allow the importation of cement, to force down its price.


Its Secretary, Mr Babatunde Liadi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the high cost of cement was negatively affecting construction workers.

A bag of cement currently sells for N2,300, up from the N1,500 it was sold in December 2010, representing an increase of about 44 per cent.

Liadi said the major cement manufacturers had blamed the situation on the rising cost diesel. 

He said the price of cement might not reduce unless measures were taken to address it.

"We have been crying out over the high cost of building materials, especially cement and it is affecting the activities of developers.

"We are calling on the government to intervene because developers are abandoning projects and many workers are being affected.This is not good for the economy,’’ he said.

The union scribe said if construction workers were not being used, it would further compound the level of poverty in the country.

He noted that the industry was already groaning over the non-payment of about N60 billion owed construction companies by government agencies.

He said it was regrettable that the few construction workers, who managed to secure jobs, were being negatively affected by the increasing cost of cement.

ESPAÑA: Portland Valderrivas supera sus objetivos

El refuerzo de las políticas de Innovación, Desarrollo e Investigación (I+D+i) como palancas para salir fortalecidos de la crisis por parte del Grupo Cementos Portland Valderrivas ha guiado el discurso de su presidente, Dieter Kiefer, en la Junta General de Accionistas celebrada en Pamplona. Estas políticas de I+D+i están dando sus frutos en productos concretos para uso industrial como el hormigón rápido o los microcementos.

En su intervención ante los accionistas, el primer ejecutivo de Portland Valderrivas repasó los principales hitos del ejercicio 2010. Kiefer resaltó que en un escenario de una fuerte crisis económica, el Grupo había conseguido superar las previsiones. Como ejemplo puso los 121 millones de ahorro de costes logrados con el Plan 100+, un 21% por encima de las proyecciones iniciales. El flujo neto de inversiones de capital (capex) alcanzó los 226 millones de euros.

En este entorno, Portland Valderrivas consiguió cerrar el ejercicio en positivo con 1,2 millones de beneficio neto atribuible, un resultado bruto de explotación (Ebitda) de 219,7 millones de euros y una reducción del endeudamiento financiero de 132 millones de euros. Además, durante 2010 se reforzaron también las políticas de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC) y de Gestión y Desarrollo del Talento.

El presidente de la cementera se refirió asimismo a la reordenación de los activos internacionales del Grupo, con la aprobación de la venta del Grupo Giant Cement Holding Inc., por 700 millones de dólares, a Uniland Internacional B.V. filial del Grupo Cementos Portland Valderrivas. La operación se produjo en el seno del Grupo de sociedades, por lo que no implica ningún cambio patrimonial y su objetivo fue concentrar en una sociedad de naturaleza internacional todos los activos que operan en el extranjero.

Sobre las previsiones para el presente ejercicio Kiefer comentó, que van a estar condicionadas por la evolución de las economías de los países en los que el Grupo está presente. En el primer trimestre del presente año, después de trece trimestres (desde el último de 2007), los volúmenes de ventas de cemento, hormigón y áridos se han incrementado. El Grupo sigue trabajando para salir reforzado de la crisis como consecuencia de la estrategia que se sigue implementando con el Plan Excelencia 2011, continuidad del Plan 100+; y, conseguir un cash flow neto de inversiones de 200 millones de euros, con un estricto control de las inversiones y del capital circulante.

Entre los acuerdos adoptados por la Junta General se decidieron las reelecciones, por un periodo de dos años, de D. Juan Castells Masana, como consejero externo dominical y la de D. Dieter Kiefer como consejero ejecutivo. Se han modificado determinados artículos de los Estatutos Sociales, del Reglamento de la Junta General de Accionistas y del Reglamento del Consejo de Administración para adaptarlos a los cambios legislativos y actualizar artículos que se habían quedado obsoletos. Con carácter excepcional, para reforzar la solidez financiera del Grupo, se aprobó no distribuir dividendo en un año en el que los miembros del Consejo tampoco han percibido retribución.

Durante su intervención ante los accionistas, el primer ejecutivo del Grupo recalcó el éxito del Plan 100+. Su continuidad ha sido el lanzamiento del Plan Excelencia 2011, para optimizar la competitividad de la compañía. Los objetivos del mismo, del que ya se empiezan a conseguir resultados positivos, son los de: identificar e implementar acciones para mejorar el resultado bruto de explotación, con reducción de costes e incremento de ingresos; y, asegurar que las iniciativas del Plan 100+ siguen manteniendo su nivel de ahorro recurrente.

Las plantas de Mataporquera, Monjos, El Alto, Hontoria y Lemona han sido el destino de importantes inversiones relacionadas con la utilización de combustibles alternativos para cumplir con el ambicioso plan estratégico de valorización energética de residuos. El Plan tiene como meta incrementar los porcentajes de consumo de estos residuos en las fábricas de cemento del 7% obtenido en 2010 al 15% en 2011 y el 30% en 2012. Permitirá sustituir el consumo de coke de petróleo, reduciendo las emisiones de CO2, con el consiguiente ahorro de costes de producción.

Por segundo año consecutivo Cementos Portland Valderrivas se sitúa entre las 100 primeras empresas españolas más valoradas según el monitor empresarial de reputación corporativa (MERCO), manteniendo el liderazgo en el sector.

En junio de 2010, la Comunidad de Madrid concedió al Grupo Cementos Portland Valderrivas el Premio a la Excelencia Europea, en la categoría de Medio Ambiente. La distinción le fue otorgada a la fábrica de El Alto, situada en la provincia de Madrid.

También en 2010 se celebró un acto de voluntariado corporativo en la fábrica de El Alto, dentro del proyecto que se está desarrollando con la Fundación Adecco, para promover la integración social y laboral de personas con discapacidad. Desde el inicio del “Plan Familia” en 2009 se ha atendido de forma personalizada a familiares de empleados con discapacidad, niños y adultos hasta 65 años.

El presidente de Portland Valderrivas terminó su intervención con un mensaje de esperanza en el futuro de la compañía, que sigue avanzando en su modelo de desarrollo sostenible. Señaló que se estaban aplicando las medidas necesarias para hacer frente a la prolongada crisis económica por la que se está atravesando. Por último agradeció a todos los grupos de interés, accionistas, clientes, proveedores y muy especialmente a todos sus trabajadores por el esfuerzo que están realizando para poder alcanzar los objetivos fijados.

INDIA: Grasim Q4 net profit up, expect VSF demand to grow at 5-6%

Grasim Industries Limited, an Aditya Birla Group Company, announced excellent results for the 4th quarter ended 31st March 2011 with the highest-ever quarterly profit. The improved performance from VSF business whose quarterly sales were the highest during the year was a major driver. Cement business has also reported improved performance. 

The Board of Directors of Grasim has recommended a dividend of Rs. 20 per share. The total outflow on account of the dividend would be Rs. 197 crores (Including the corporate tax on dividend). 

The shortage of cotton continued to drive prices of all textile fibres, including VSF. High spot pulp prices also contributed to the rise. 

Production during the quarter stood at 82,932 tons with full capacity utilisation. Sales volume equalled the peak attained in the corresponding quarter. Revenue grew by 27% aided by better realisations. Input cost rose sharply with higher prices of pulp, caustic, sulphur and coal. 

The expansion projects at Vilayat, Gujarat (120,000 TPA) and Harihar, Karnataka (36,500 TPA) are on track. Both these projects are slated for commissioning in FY13. A total capex of Rs.2,450 crores has been slated for the VSF business comprising Rs.2,100 crores on expansion projects and Rs. 350 crores towards modernisation. 

The Company has, subject to regulatory approval(s), decided to acquire 1/3rd stake in Aditya Holding AB, Sweden, who acquired Domsjo Fabriker AB, Sweden, a leading manufacturer of specialty pulp at an enterprise value of Swedish Kroner (SEK) 2.12 Billion (approx.Rs.1,570 crores). This will entail an investment of SEK 380 Million (approx. Rs. 280 crores) and will be funded out of internal accruals. This will enable the Company to have an assured supply of pulp including for its aforesaid expansion projects. 

Global VSF demand is expected to grow at 5-6% in both the textiles and non-woven segments in the long term. 

However, profitability in the short term will be governed by the prices of competitive fibres, inputs and energy costs. Cotton production in the forthcoming season will be the key influencing factor. 

Chemical Business
The Chemical business achieved record sales volumes backed by capacity utilisation of 103% and good demand from the end user industries such as aluminium and paper. ECU realisations grew by 13% on a YoY basis. 

A 182,500 TPA Caustic plant and a 60 MW power plant at Vilayat, mainly for captive use, is on the anvil. This will entail an investment of Rs. 772 crores. 

The standalone performance for the quarter has been impressive. Revenues were higher by 28%. Net profit increased by 37%.

Outlook
Strong consumption as well as investment has supported India’s growth story over the last decade and will continue to do so in future. Grasim with its presence in VSF and cement will immensely benefit from both rising consumption as well as investment. Large capacity expansionsunder implementation in both VSF and Cement businesses will enable the Company to grow at a rapid pace and further consolidate its leadership.

INDIA: Nirma Cement plant not viable ecologically, says panel



The Expert Committee (EC) constituted by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) has held that the Nirma Cement plant at Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district is not viable for ecological balance.

The report also challenged Nirma's claim that it has already invested Rs430 crore in the construction of the plant.

According to report, the company has spent around Rs100 crore so far.

In its report, the EC stated that the location of Nirma Cement Plant, captive coal based power plant and coke over plant on 268 hectare of land allotted by the government of Gujarat at Padhiaraka village of Mahuva taluka is part of the Samadhiala Bandhara water body and its periphery.

It further said that this was a coastal saline natural ecosystem that was converted into fresh water ecosystem by construction of the Bandharo to prevent salinity, ingression in the surrounding fertile crop fields.

It is also used to store water for irrigation during dry period and to help recharge ground water.

The report stated that the location of heavy polluting units will generate emissions that will affect crop yields.

This was because the emissions are bound to interfere in the photosynthesis and transpiration and can also bring changes in the ecology of water body.

The report further said that the accidental release of effluents may contribute to the degradation of environment and may even kill the fish in the water body. It may also severely damage the aquatic flora and fauna.

Commenting on the lime stone mining in the vicinity of the cement plant, the report said it will result in reduction in catchment area and possible salinity ingression and make the entire area which is agriculturally important, particularly for onion production (Mahuva alone constitute 6% of the country's production) environmentally and ecologically degraded.

The report also talked about the Asiatic Lion sanctuary. Mahuva taluka also harbours Asiatic Lions and four of them were spotted in and around Bandhara water body, the report said.

"In fact, there is a reserve forest within 10 km radius of the site. Two critically endangered vulture species white backed vulture and longbilled vulture and many other birds are seen around the Bandhara."

CHINA: Anhui Conch, Huaxin Cement, SAIC, Sinopec: China Equity Preview



Shares of the following companies may have unusual moves in China trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are as of the previous close, unless stated otherwise.

The Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks the bigger of China's stock exchanges, gained 18.17 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,890.63. The CSI 300 Index rose 0.8 percent to 3,153.22.

Automakers: China's passenger-car sales slowed in April from the previous month as the government raised fuel prices and Japan's earthquake slowed deliveries. Deliveries of cars including multipurpose and sport-utility vehicles to dealerships rose 2.8 percent from a year earlier to 1.14 million units, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said in a statement yesterday. Sales climbed 6.5 percent in March.

SAIC Motor Corp. (600104 CH), China's largest carmaker, fell 0.4 percent to 17.06 yuan. FAW Car Co. (000800 CH), which makes passenger cars in China with Volkswagen AG, added 1 percent to 14.63 yuan.

Anhui Conch Cement Co. (600585 CH): China's biggest cement maker said it won regulatory approval to offer bonds with a face value of 9.5 billion yuan ($1.46 billion). Anhui Conch advanced 0.4 percent to 37.53 yuan.

China Construction Bank Corp. (601939 CH): The world's second-biggest lender by market value raised its down-payment requirement for first-home mortgages in Zhejiang province to 40 percent of the property's value from 30 percent, said an official with the bank's news department. The stock added 0.8 percent to 5.14 yuan.

INDIA: Supreme Court reserves order in Lafarge case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has reserved its order over the contentious issue of resumption of mining operations by French cement giant, Lafarge, in Meghalaya to supply the limestone to its $255-million cement plant in Bangladesh. 

A special bench comprising Chief Justice SH Kapadia , Justice Aftab Alam and Justice KS Radhakrishnan on Tuesday concluded the hearing in the case. 

It heard the arguments on behalf of the Centre, the company Lafarge and local residents, Shella Action Committee. 

The court while reserving its verdict asked the concerned parties, the Centre and the company to file their written submissions by Friday. 

Earlier, the apex court had on February 5, 2010, stopped Lafarge from carrying out limestone mining in Meghalaya saying it can be allowed in the environmentally sensitive zone. 

During the course of the hearing in the case, the court asked some tough questions from Lafarge counsel and former attorney general Soli J Sorabjee. He said that the company was not aware of fact that project site falls within the forest area. 

According to Sorabjee, the Ministry of Forest and Enviornment (MoEF) was not aware of existence of dense forest area. 

The bench, however, said, "when you (company) have visited the site, you could have seen the forests. Do not say that it was notified or uniformed. Initially when your engineers have gone there, they might have seen the forest". 

It said, the project was in the core of the "tropical deciduous forest" of that area.

SOUTH AFRICA: Domestic cement sales up 1%



Cement sales in SA moved 1.1% higher year on year (y/y) in April to 816,338 tons from 807,820 tons at the same time in 2010, data from the Cement and Concrete Institute showed on Tuesday.

Domestic sales on a year-to-date basis declined 1.9% to 3.287 million tons, from 3.351 million tons for the same period in 2010.

The moving annual total in SA was down 5.2% y/y in April to 10.806 million tons from 11.397 million tons in April 2010.

The group noted that April had one less sales day than in 2010. If this was taken into account, sales were 6.7% higher than April 2010, it said. - I-Net Bridge

IRAN: Monthly cement output hits 5.6m tons

TEHRAN – Iran’s cement output amounted to some 5.6 million tons in the first month of the current calendar year


The figure shows 17.6 percent increase in comparison to the same period previous years, IRNA reported. 

During the mentioned period nearly 5.6 million tons of clinker was also produced which is 18 percent more than last year’s figure. 

Some 126,191 tons of clinker and some 547,163 tons of cement have also been exported during the mentioned time span. 

Iran’s total cement and clinker exports faced 3.5 percent increase compared to the same period previous year. 

The United States Geological Surveys (USGS) in its new annual report titled “Mineral Commodity Summaries 2011” named Iran as the seventh largest cement producer on the world in 2010. 

The USGS is a science organization of the United States government that provides impartial, timely, relevant, and useable information on the issues such as ecosystems, environment, natural hazards and the natural resources. 

USGS in its new report stated that in 2010 Iran’s cement production rose up 5 million tons (9%) and reached to 55 million tons. Therefore, Iran became the seventh largest cement producer in the world and the second largest in the Middle East after Turkey. Iran’s cement production in 2009 was 50 million tons. 

There are 57 active cement production units in Iran as of 2010. Iran constitutes 1.7% of the world’s cement production according to figures of USGS. 

The report shows that China by a far distance is still the largest cement producer in the world, the country produced 1,800 million tons of cement in 2010, which consists 55% of total world production. After China, India is the second largest cement producer in the world by producing 220 million tons in 2010. Among the world major cement producers in 2010, United States was only country whose production decreased.

UK: Cement and aggregates sales surge in first quarter

Sales of aggregates and cement grew during the first quarter of 2011 casting further doubts on dismal official construction figures.

Materials sales were up on the same period of the previous year and also the final quarter of 2010.

Aggregates sales volumes in total were 6% up in the first quarter compared with the first quarter of 2010, while cement, ready mixed concrete and asphalt sales were 16%, 19% and 10% up respectively.

The improvement was due to a shifting of sales from the poor weather-affected final quarter of 2010, and improved demand for concrete in London and the South East and asphalt nationwide for road maintenance work to fill potholes.

Mineral Products Association Chief Economist, Jerry McLaughlin, said: “The first quarter was stronger than we expected, which is partly due to some underlying improvements in construction activity such as office development in Central London and partly due to a catch up from the weather-affected end of 2010.

“In overall terms market performance has been relatively flat over the past six months and we do not expect sustained growth until 2013.

“We would not expect the first quarter growth trend to be sustained throughout the year because we have yet to see the full impact of the planned cuts in public investment.

“We are particularly concerned about the lack of funding to repair our local road network, in spite of the £200 million of emergency funding announced this year, and the prospects for recovery in commercial and housing markets outside the South East are patchy at best.”

Recent Government figures indicated a 4.7% reduction in construction during the first quarter of the year

McLaughlin said: “While we would not expect a precise correlation between our data and construction output figures, we think that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the official figures underestimate both the decline in construction activity in the final quarter of 2010 and the recovery of work in the first quarter of 2011.

“This is an issue of wider significance because if, for example, construction output actually grew rather than fell by 4.7% in the first quarter, the GDP growth would have been a much more positive 1.1%.”

AFRICA: EGYPT: Egypt's North Sinai Cement regains licence



North Sinai Cement will resume operations within a week after a court cancelled a government decision to scrap the firm's licence, its chairman told Reuters on Wednesday.

Egypt's Industrial Development Authority (IDA) removed North Sinai's licence late in 2009 over start-up delays and financing shortfalls. The firm was granted a 60-day appeal period but failed to meet conditions to challenge the decision.

Investors in listed rivals, such as South Valley Cement and National Cement, were watching the case for any hints on how it might affect future licence policy.

"We will resume production immediately next week. We have won the case on Tuesday and the licence is returned, " said Chairman Abdel Hameed Selmy.

North Sinai has one production line, with annual production capacity of 1.8 million tonnes.

In February, an Egyptian prosecutor ordered the detention of the head of the IDA, Amr Assal, as it probes allegations that he squandered 670 million Egyptian pounds of public funds.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

INDIA: Nirma's cement plant could be shifted: Environment ministry

The environment ministry Tuesday told the Supreme Court that Nirma's under-construction cement plant in Gujarat, located in a wetland, will damage the environment in the area and could be shifted to an alternate site.

The ministry, in an affidavit submitted to the court, said that any activity that obstructs water flow into a water body or affects water quality should not be allowed.

'There could be alternative sites enough in the vicinity that breeds no contention. No fresh water sanctuary needs to be razed to pitch a cement plant. The approval accorded may be revoked as it was initially founded on undisclosed and incorrect postulates,' the ministry said.

The ministry on March 11 had issued a show cause notice under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for permanent suspension of work and revocation of environmental clearance to the company's cement plant in Mahuva block of Bhavnagar district in Gujarat for violating green norms.

The ministry said the show cause notice was issued based on the findings of the expert appraisal committee (EAC), that the plant is expected to cause irreversible damage to the wetland.

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Nirma following the stop work order issued by the ministry for its 1.9 metric ton per annum (MTPA) cement plant and a captive power plant in the state.

The Gujarat government has told the court the land is a 'wasteland' and not 'wetland'.

The court had adjourned hearing on the matter for Friday, giving the option to Nirma to challenge the stop-work order before it or the Green Tribunal.

CHINA: China Pledges to Cement Ties with Afghanistan

China's officials reaffirmed China's commitment to seeking stronger ties with Afghanistan on Tuesday during meetings with the country's foreign minister.

"China would like to work with Afghanistan to cement coordination on important international and regional issues," Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang told Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasoul on Tuesday. 

Rasoul came to Beijing on Monday for his first China visit since taking the foreign minister post in January 2010.

At the start of the meeting, Rasoul said Afghanistan "gives tremendous attention" to its relations with China, considering China "not only as a good neighbor, but also as a good friend." 

Li recalled the smooth growth of China-Afghanistan relations ever since the two neighboring countries first forged diplomatic relations in 1955. 

Li said the two countries have worked together productively in economic and cultural sectors, which has served the fundamental interests of both nations. 

In regard to Afghanistan's reconstruction, Li said China is closely watching and supporting the country's reconstruction and will provide more aid in the future. 

Rasoul appreciated China's support and aid and spoke highly of China's role in safeguarding regional peace and stability. 

Earlier Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi spoke with Rasoul at the Diaoyutai Guesthouse in western Beijing. 

Yang pledged that China will continuously support Afghanistan in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as support the country's efforts to promote peace, stability and development. 

Rasoul said the Afghan government and people appreciate the support and assistance China has offered so far. 

Rasoul said the Afghan government is committed to improving its ability to run the country, and is also committed to promoting national reconciliation and peaceful reconstruction. 

Rasoul will deliver a speech at the China Institute of International Studies before leaving Beijing on Thursday.

FRANCE: Lafarge denies asset disposal - report

Lafarge denies a report in the Financial Times they are lining up asset disposals to pay down debt and avoid anticompetitive action

FRANCE’s world leader in cement production, Lafarge, yesterday denied a report in the Financial Times that it and joint- venture partner AngloAmerican are lining up asset disposals to pay down debt and avoid anticompetitive action as they seek to combine their UK cement and general construction businesses.

"The information in the Financial Times is a rumour, on which we do not wish to comment," Claire Mathieu, of group communications in Paris, said yesterday.

In February, Lafarge and Anglo American announced an agreement to combine their cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt and contracting businesses in the UK, comprising Lafarge Cement UK, Lafarge Aggregates and Concrete UK, and Anglo’s Tarmac UK.

"Please refer to the press release sent on February 18 … ‘Completion of the transaction is conditional upon regulatory approvals. Both Lafarge UK and Tarmac UK operations will continue to operate independently until obtaining such approvals,’" Ms Mathieu said.

Yesterday, an Anglo spokesman in London told Business Day that its Tarmac UK business had been identified as a non- core asset as far back as October 2009. "The joint venture is subject to regulatory approval and we are co-operating with the relevant authorities to achieve clearance as soon as practicable — we are unable to comment on the proposed joint venture, the time frames or expected regulatory process," the spokesman said.

Tarmac sold its French and Belgian building materials business for about $88m in May last year, earlier having sold its construction aggregates assets in France, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The company also sold its Polish concrete products business, with combined proceeds expected to be about $400m.

Yesterday’s Financial Times report stated the "potential joint venture, announced in February with expected combined sales of £1,8bn, is planning to sell about £600m of cement plants, quarries and ready-mix concrete mills," according to people familiar with the discussions.

According to the Financial Times report, some possible asset buyers might take a plan to the Office of Fair Trading as soon as next month — significantly earlier than expected when the joint venture was announced.

The groups are understood to be looking at shedding capacity of up to 8-million tons a year for aggregate, 1,5-million tons for asphalt and 400000m³ per year of concrete, but potential buyers are said to be restricted by competition issues and high debts.

Lafarge’s rival Holcim — the world’s second-largest cement maker — is seen as a potential suitor because the group has no UK cement assets, importing product from mainland Europe or purchasing it from rivals. But the sale to Holcim of Lafarge’s Hope cement works in northern England would likely only raise about half the targeted £600m.

The parties earlier said the combining of their businesses would form an equal joint venture that would create a leading UK construction materials company with a portfolio of high-quality assets, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of £210m.

This combination was expected to deliver substantial recurring synergies of at least £60m per year, including increased operating efficiencies, improved logistics, and the introduction of value-added products across a wider geographic reach.

Lafarge CEO Bruno Lafont recently vowed to regain the group’s investment grade credit rating, which it lost last month amid fears over the effect the turmoil in the Middle East would have for its operations there.

BRASIL: Cimpor Plans to Invest $272 Million in Cement Plant in Brazil Parana State



Cimpor-Cimentos de Portugal SGPS SA (CPR), Portugal’s biggest cement company, plans to invest an estimated 190 million euros ($272 million) in a new cement and clinker plant in Cerrado Grande, in the Brazilian state of Parana.

The new plant will have a production capacity of about 1.2 million tons of cement a year, Lisbon-based Cimpor said today in a regulatory filing. Construction work will begin in “early” 2012 and production will start in 2014, according to Cimpor.

“This new cement production plant will allow Cimpor to benefit from the forecast growth of the south and southeast markets of Brazil, as the present units are operating at full capacity,” the company said in the statement.