NIGERIA: Dangote Cement declares N121.8bn half-year profit

Dangote Cement Plc achieved a profit after tax of N121.808 in the six-month period ended June 30,2015, the company’s condensed consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income for the period showed.

The figure was 21.65 per cent higher than the N95.440bn PAT the cement giant announced for the same period of 2014.

The statements, which were filed with the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Thursday, showed that Dangote Cement also achieved a 20.23 per cent growth in profit before tax. Its PBT grew from N107.070bn to N128.726bn in the period under review.

This followed a 15.94 per cent rise in revenue, with the company realising N242.215bn revenue as against N208.909bn in the first half of 2014.

The growth in profit was achieved despite increases in administrative expenses, selling and distribution expenses and finance costs.

The results showed that administrative expenses rose to N13.618bn in the six months to June 30, 2015 from N7.295bn in the corresponding period a year ago, while selling and distribution expenses jumped to N23.385bn from N18.030bn.

Finance costs soared from N8.146bn to N24.381bn, while cost of sales rose to N84.501bn from N73.537bn.

Dangote Cement had grown its revenue to N114.7bn from N103bn in the first quarter of 2015 on the back of its expansion programme, which saw it commence operations in some African countries.

Its net profit for the quarter had also risen by 44.1 per cent to N68.6bn from N47.62bn in the first quarter of 2014.

The company had at its Annual General Meeting in April received the approval of its shareholders to pay N102bn as dividend for the 2014 financial year.

The Board of Directors had proposed the dividend, which translated into N6 per share after the company grew its revenue from N386bn in 2013 to N392bn in 2014.

The Chairman, Dangote Cement, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, had explained that, “As a result of the sizeable investment that we have made over the past few years, Dangote Cement ended the year (2014) with new lines in Nigeria, factories becoming operational in Senegal and South Africa.”

Earlier in the year, the company had said that its new plants in Senegal and Cameroun had commenced operations with plants in Ethiopia and Zambia following.

UGANDA: Tororo cement in sh86b expansion

Tororo Cement Limited, Uganda’s largest cement manufacturer has injected $ 25m (about sh86b) towards the plant expansion.

Brij Mohan Gragrani, the company executive director, said the new plant is expected to increase cement production from the current 1.8 million metric tons to 3 million metric tons per annum to meet the increasing demand of cement in the region. 

Gagrani said they expect to scale up production capacity that will include construction of more cement grinding mill with the cement storage silos, rotary packers, clinker feeding system and clinker sheds for investments of $25-30 Million. 

‘’The expansion is proposed in view of market demand in Uganda and the neighbouring countries,” he said.

BRAZIL: Brazil gives cement firms 30 days to pay combined $934 mln fines

Brazil's antitrust watchdog, Cade, has ordered six cement makers named in a price-rigging case to pay a combined 3.1 billion reais ($934 million) in fines within a month in a landmark decision that also orders asset disposals.

Under the terms of the decision announced on Wednesday, the watchdog gave the companies a one-year deadline to reduce their installed capacity in the cement and concrete industries through asset sales. The decision was published in the government's official gazette.

According to Cade, which first issued a ruling in the case in May of last year, Votorantim Cimentos SA, Camargo Correa SA's Intercement Brasil unit, Itabira Agro Industrial SA and Cia de Cimentos Itambé SA, as well as Switzerland's Holcim Ltd and Cimpor Cimentos de Portugal SGPS SA colluded on pricing to force rivals out of the market.

The ruling, which followed an eight-year inquiry, follows cost overruns that dogged Brazil's preparations for last year's soccer World Cup as well as dozens of road, port and infrastructure projects across Latin America's largest country. The firms named in the case control about three-quarters of the domestic market for cement and concrete.

A series of studies by Cade showed evidence that several takeovers and asset swaps among cement companies during the 1990s and the 2000s were made to prevent rivals from entering the lucrative market.

The largest players in Brazil's cement industry tend to have strong market control in specific regions, increasing the potential for collusion. The number of cement producers in Brazil shrank to about 10 in 2011 from almost two dozen in the early 1990s.

Under terms of the ruling, Votorantim must pay 1.5 billion reais in fines and Cimpor 297 million reais. Cade fined Intercement Brasil 241 million reais, Itabira 411 million reais, and Holcim 508 million reais. Itambé must pay 88 million reais.

Some of the companies are challenging Cade's ruling in the courts. The companies could not immediately be reached for comment on the penalties announced Wednesday.

Cade also imposed sanctions on Abesc, an industry group representing concrete producers; ABCP, Brazil's Portland cement group; and SNIC, which represents local cement factories.

Votorantim is the largest producer of cement in Brazil, followed by Holcim, France's Lafarge SA and Camargo's Intercement. Holcim and Lafarge are negotiating a merger.

TUNISIA: CMG autorisée par le ministère de l’Industrie, de l’Energie et des Mines à lancer son premier projet en Tunisie

La société Ciment de la méditerranée S.A. (CMG), crée en 2009 avec un capital social actuel de 4 425 000 DT détenu par de nouveaux actionnaires de référence à hauteur de 94% et en cours d’augmentation à 150 million de dinars,

annonce que le 22 Juillet 2015 la société a obtenue l’autorisation par M. le Ministre de l’Industrie, de l’Energie et des Mines pour la réalisation d’un projet Greenfield pour une unité intégrée de capacité de 1 million de tonne de Clinker (1,2 million de tonnes de ciment gris) par an avec un investissement total autour de 220 Million de Dollars Américains (434 millions de DT).

L’usine sera basée dans la délégation d’EL Guettar au gouvernorat de Gafsa. La construction démarrera le premier Janvier 2016 après les travaux de terrassement, de nivellement et d’ouvertures de pistes, tandis que l’entrée en exploitation de l’usine est prévue pour Juin 2018.

CMG est le fruit d'une collaboration fructueuse entre Ahmed Bouchamaoui International Group et Antonio Lopez Banos et Ricardo Mella International Group ( un groupe Espano-Portugais ).Mr Ahmed Bouchamaoui étant le Président du Conseil de CMG et Antonio Lopez son Directeur Général . La société compte renforcer sa collaboration avec d’autres institutions économiques qui feront partie du tour de table et a déjà identifié des sources de financement locales et étrangères.

CMG est équipée des technologies de production les plus modernes et travaille avec les deux constructeurs les plus puissants sur le niveau international. CMG est bien partie pour être leader dans le secteur de la production de ciment en Tunisie tout en limitant sa consommation d’énergie et de ressources naturelles grâce à de nouvelles technologies de production permettant d’assurer la durabilité et la protection de l’environnement. Cet engagement écologique est palpable sur tous les plans et constitue l’un des piliers des valeurs de la société. 

En plus des retombées économiques directes, ce projet aura des conséquences positives sur différents aspects locaux. Des actions seront menées afin de contribuer à une grande amélioration sur le plan social de la région d’El Guettar où seront créés 300 emplois directs et 1000 emplois indirects, réduisant ainsi le chômage dont souffre énormément cette région de Tunisie. CMG lancera également de nombreux programmes de soutien social dédiés à plusieurs secteurs comme le loisir, l’éducation, la santé et le logement.

COLOMBIA: Los despachos de cemento gris aumentaron 10,2 % en junio

Este crecimiento obedece al incremento del 25,8 % en los canales de distribución constructores y contratistas y del 7,5 % en comercialización, aportando en conjunto 8,7 puntos porcentuales a la variación.

Las Estadísticas de Cemento Gris- ECG mostraron que en junio de 2015 los despachos al mercado nacional alcanzaron 1.012,1 mil toneladas, es decir, aumentaron 10,2 %.

Este resultado se explicó principalmente por el crecimiento de los canales de distribución constructores y contratistas con 25,8 % y comercialización con 7,5 %, aportando en conjunto 8,7 puntos porcentuales a la variación.

Las principales contribuciones en los despachos de cemento gris se registraron en Antioquia con 15,5 %, Bogotá y municipios aledaños con 16,6 %, Bolívar con 28,1 % y Cesar con 41,5 %, los cuales aportaron en conjunto 6,8 puntos porcentuales a la variación total (10,2 %).

Por su parte, la producción de cemento gris alcanzó las 1.029,2 mil toneladas, presentando un incremento de 4,9 % con relación al mismo mes de 2014.

Año corrido En lo corrido del año hasta junio de 2015, los despachos al mercado nacional registraron un aumento de 6,6 % al acumular 6.067,4 mil toneladas.

Este comportamiento se explicó principalmente por el aumento en los canales de comercialización con 8,2 %, constructores y contratistas con 8,1 % y concreteras con 2,7 %, aportando en conjunto 6,4 puntos porcentuales a dicha variación.

Según el departamento de destino de los despachos en lo corrido del año hasta junio de 2015: Antioquia con 10,7 %, Bolívar con 19,6 %, el área de Bogotá con 6,4 %, Nariño con 62,2 %, Cesar con 27,0 % y Magdalena con 21,8 %, sumaron 5,3 puntos porcentuales a la variación total (6,6 %).

En contraste, los departamentos de Santander con -6,6 %, Atlántico con -6,0 % y Tolima con -9,3 %, restaron en conjunto 1,1 puntos porcentuales a dicha variación.

En cuanto a la producción de cemento gris, ésta alcanzó las 6.250,4 mil toneladas, presentando un incremento de 5,8 % con relación al mismo período del año anterior.

Doce meses Los despachos al mercado nacional ascendieron a 12.347,4 mil toneladas, aumentando 7,9 % en los últimos doce meses, debido al incremento en 15 de los 21 departamentos analizados, entre los cuales se destacan: Antioquia con 10,0 %, Nariño con 68,1 %, el área de Bogotá con 5,9 %, Bolívar con 13,9 %, Cundinamarca con 6,5 % y Magdalena con 25,5 %, aportando en conjunto 5,0 puntos porcentuales a dicho resultado.

Finalmente, la producción de cemento gris alcanzó las 12.728,8 mil toneladas, lo que significó un incremento de 6,9 % con relación al año precedente.

NIGERIA: BUA gears up for August launch of 3MMT Obu Cement Plant

Expectations are high as commodities conglomerate BUA Group counts down to full commercial production of over 3million metric tonnes of cement at its newly-built $600mn Obu Cement Plant in Okpella, Edo State with clinker production already in full swing. At the current rate, it is expected that cement dispatch to the various markets will commence in the first week of August.

BUA Group Chairman/CEO, Abdulsamad Rabiu, said the company’s three-year journey in constructing the world-class plant would give a much needed boost to Nigeria’s cement industry as well as enhance the development of related sectors including housing and construction.

“The Obu Cement plant, which is about 5km away from Edo Cement company, is 100 per cent owned by the BUA Group. The Edo Cement plant, which has a capacity of 500,000tonnes/annum is also being rehabilitated and would be receiving clinker from the Obu Cement plant before being fully rehabilitated. The two plants would be rolling out about 3.5mtonnes/annum of cement. Asides from the initial costs of over $500 million in Obu Cement, we have also invested over $100 million in gas turbines to power a 50-megawatt plant for 24-hour electricity generation as well as the construction of a 30km gas supply pipeline,” he said.

The Obu Cement plant was supplied by the world renowned European cement equipment suppliers, FL Smidth of Denmark and the civil construction was handled by the mega construction firm, Julius Berger. This combination from two world leading companies in cement equipment and construction services has given birth to one of the finest cement plants in the world.

Rabiu further added that the plant’s location in Edo State, makes it a strategic point for markets in the North and South-South of the country; “essentially we are 200 metres to the highway linking Okene, Kogi State and Benin, Edo State which will guarantee adequate distribution of products.”

He also revealed that an estimated 250 to 300 trailers of cement would be delivered to markets across the regions daily, once the Obu plant kicks off full commercial activity.

Benefits to host communities

The Obu Cement Plant currently manufactures cement straight from limestone, receiving 9000 tonnes of limestone and clay each day for its large-scale operations, which will provide over 1500 direct jobs, a situation which means the company has also had to factor in employees’ pressing needs. “We have constructed a housing estate for most of our workers and are still building, to ensure they have access to decent accommodation.”

The wider Okpella community and its environs is also expected to benefit from a new medical facility and an administrative block for the community’s youth centre, while the roads being built to and from the quarries will also serve residents.

To enable stable power supply, a 30-kilometre gas pipeline has been built, with compensation paid to all three host communities. As far back as April 2014 BUA Group signed a gas sales and purchase agreement with the Nigerian Gas Company, which will guarantee the supply of about 0.9Mm3/day to the Obu plant. However, liquid fuels will also be used as a backup, to ensure production around the clock.

Cement grades

The soon-to-be-launched Obu plant is equipped with cutting-edge facilities, with the capacity to produce all three grades of cement, as allowed by the Nigerian Industrial Standards, as backed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). These are the 32.5, 42.5 and 52.5 grades. When asked what steps BUA Group is taking to ensure compliance, Rabiu said the organisation had observed due diligence in this regard.

He added that the Group welcomed these requirements, as the customers would not be short changed, and Nigeria’s cement industry would be operating at world-class standards.

“In total, the investment has so far gulped over $600 million but no cost is to be spared, if we are to build lasting solutions to enhance Nigeria's self sufficiency in cement production,” he added.

In addition to the Obu Cement plant, BUA Group’s other investment in the cement industry include the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plcand Edo Cement Company ltd. The official commissioning ceremony for the new Obu Cement Plant is planned for Q3, 2015.

Established in 1988, BUA Group has over the years grown steadily to become one of Nigeria’s largest foods and infrastructure conglomerates with investments in sugar, cement, agribusiness, flour & pasta, rice, edible oils, real estate and port operations.

OMAN: Higher gas prices hit profit margins of industries

The rise in gas prices has adversely affected the profit margins of industries in the Sultanate. The first half financial results announced by industries like cement, ceramic tiles, steel and glass manufacturers show that the high gas tariffs have led to higher cost of production leading to profit loss. "Decline in topline growth owing to realisation pressures and cost escalation as a result of natural gas price hike have impacted the profit margins of these companies in the first half", opined Suresh Kumar, Research Head at Al Maha Financial Services.

The two main cement producers, Raysut Cement and Oman Cement , have said that production costs increased dramatically under the new price scheme.

Approved in January this year, the price of natural gas to companies has doubled from a rate of 41 baisas per standard cubic metre (cc) from 20.5 baisas per standard cc, with an inbuilt annual increase of 3 per cent in subsequent years.

The rise, according to analysts, has been part of a response from the authorities to bridge some of the gap in the national budget left by weaker hydrocarbons revenue.

In early March the IMF's country head, Ananthakrishnan Prasad, said that Oman needed to implement reforms to keep its deficit in check, with the scaling back of gas and energy subsidies at the top of the list of priorities.

If adopted, the measures would further impact Omani industries, with those in the rapidly developing petrochemicals sector hit with higher raw materials prices and power dependent producers confronted with steeper electric bills.

Oman Cement 's total expenses rose by 8.2 per cent in the first six months of 2015 compared to the same period of 2014.

"We have continued our efforts to minimise the impact by better cost and selling price management,"Oman Cement said while announcing the first half results. At the same time, production fell by 2.33 per cent at 1,008,779 tonnes of cement in the first half of 2015, from 1,032,898 tonnes for the same period last year, mainly due to limited availability of clinker.

In June 2015, Oman Cement disclosed that due to operational difficulties it had to prolong the shutdown of one of its kilns. The kiln, with 4000t/day clinker production capacity, was closed for planned maintenance, which was to be completed in early June 2015.

Oman Cement warned that the prolonged shutdown of a kiln would have an impact on its second-quarter performance.

The profit before tax for the six-month period dipped by 39.26 per cent to RO 6.02 million for the first half of 2015 from RO 9.92 million for the same period of last year, which also included an amount of RO 2.1 million being income on sale for available-for-sale investments.

Raysut Cement , meanwhile, posted a 33 per cent drop in second-quarter net profit.

The largest cement firm by market value in Oman, the company made RO 4.93 million in the second quarter of the year, compared with RO 7.36 million in the same period of 2014.

The company posted a first-half profit after tax of RO 10.96 million compared to RO 15.59 million a year ago.

Al Maha Ceramics reported total revenue of RO 5,055,949 compared to RO 5,676,778 a year ago.

The company's net profit before tax was RO 1,518,522 compared to RO 1,201,245 a year ago. Net profit after tax stood at RO 1,331,059 compared to RO 1,058,395 a year ago.

Al Maha said earlier, "the change in natural gas price may affect the projected profits of the company in 2015 by approximately 5 per cent. The company plans to mitigate this financial impact by reviewing the pricing across different market segments and implementation of certain cost reduction and efficiency enhancement initiatives".

Al Jazeera Steel Products Company said its earnings results for the six months ended on June 30, 2015 showed a total revenues of RO 41,440,958 compared to RO 49,359,669 a year ago. Net profit after tax was RO 1,437,535 compared to RO 3,461,359 a year ago.

MEXICO: Crecer, crecer y crecer, en AL y EU

Los 3,929 millones de pesos que Elementia captó en el mercado accionario le ayudarán a desarrollar su plan estratégico quinquenal, que busca incrementar su participación de mercado en México, consolidar su plataforma en América Latina y aprovechar las oportunidades en el mercado de vivienda en Estados Unidos.

La operación bursátil implicó la colocación de 26% del capital de la empresa de materiales de construcción donde están asociados Carlos Slim Helú y Antonio del Valle.

El director general de la empresa, Fernando Ruiz Jaques, explicó que una parte de los recursos le permitirán incrementar 75% su capacidad de producción de cemento.

La planta de Tula, Hidalgo, pasará a producir 3.5 millones de toneladas. “Invertiremos 250 millones de dólares en la ampliación de Tula”, dijo Ruiz Jacques.

“Nos convertiremos en el quinto productor de cemento de México. Somos el jugador más joven en esta industria. No había entrado nadie a esta industria en 70 años”.

Las perspectivas son muy favorables, de acuerdo con el director de Elementia. Está el plan nacional de infraestructura, el perfil demográfico de la población y un dato duro: el consumo de cemento per cápita en México es de 300 kilogramos anuales, mientras que la media mundial está arriba de 500 kilogramos.

Si en México se alcanzara al promedio mundial, se necesitarían 30 millones de toneladas adicionales de dicho material. “Nosotros atendemos el mercado del centro de México. Es una regla que el cemento no viaja más de 400 kilómetros. Eso quiere decir que hay zonas del país a las que no podremos llegar”.

La empresa tiene presencia en alrededor de 5,000 puntos de distribución. El cemento representa 14% de las ventas de Elementia. La proporción se incrementará en el 2017, cuando entre en operación la ampliación de la planta de Tula.

Replicar modelo

En el corto plazo su apuesta es replicar el modelo de negocio creado en México para América Latina y fortalecer su presencia en Estados Unidos.

La compra de CertainTeed, al grupo francés Saint-Gobain les permitió entrar a ese mercado. Las condiciones son favorables porque los permisos para iniciar casas están en los niveles máximos de los últimos siete años.

Elementia tiene presencia directa en nueve países de América Latina, además de Estados Unidos. Ha tenido una estrategia de crecimiento agresivo, en donde destaca la adquisición de 12 empresas, la más reciente en Estados Unidos.

Fernando Ruiz Jaques anticipó que seguirán creciendo por la vía orgánica con ampliaciones de capacidad, nuevas líneas de producto y optimizaciones de procesos productivos, pero también con la parte inorgánica, lo que forma parte del ADN de la empresa. “No descartamos que vengan compras adicionales, quizá en este mismo año, pero por el momento no tenemos nada que informar”, concluyó el directivo.