Cement Industry News  

Jai Balaji Industries new cement plant, West Bengal

Reuters quoted Mr Aditya Jajodia CMD of Jai Balaji Industries Ltd as saying that Jai Balaji Industries Ltd will

Aditya Birla Group cement sales up 13.4% in Dec

The Aditya Birla Group said on Friday that its cement despatches in December rose 13.4 per cent from a

Binani Cement in talks with FIIs to raise funds for new projects

Binani Cement has initiated talks with a few foreign institutional investors (FIIs) to raise Rs 1,500 crore

Iran production capacity at 55Mt

While attending the inauguration of a new cement production line in Hamedan Province, Ali Akbar

Tancem workers on strike, Tamil Nadu

Production in the state-owned Tamil Nadu Cement Corporation’s (TANCEM) plant has come to a grinding halt as majority of workers

Surge in capacity may depress Saudi prices

A surge in production capacity in the short term could cause competition among Saudi Arabia’s cement

India: cement makers start shutting down plants

Faced with an oversupply and low utilisation levels, Indian producers have started shutting down their plants in the north.

Holcim Philipppines 2008 review, 2009 outlook

In terms the economic slowdown most countries are experiencing, the Philippines, has not been as hard hit as other economies like the United States and Japan.

Residents against proposed cement plant, Malaysia

Despite assurances that a proposed cement plant in Malim Nawar, Perak, would not emit much dust, residents of the new village and its neighbouring villages are adamant against its construction.

Residents against proposed cement plant, Malaysia

Despite assurances that a proposed cement plant in Malim Nawar, Perak, would not emit much dust, residents of the new village and its neighbouring villages are adamant against its construction.

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Trading   

Indonesia’s Semen Gresik to lift 2009 cement exports

State-owned cement maker PT Semen Gresik is planning to increase its export volume despite the economic

Indian producers welcome import duties

As the Indian government has brought back the countervailing duty (CVD) on cement the domestic cement industry has supported the move with HM Bangur, president of the Cement Manufacturers’ Association

Cement barge runs aground

A 60m empty cement barge ran aground near McMicking Point, Vancouver on New Year’s Day. Staff from Vancouver-based Lafarge, the company that owns the barge

Yemeni cement exported to Djibouti

Aden Cement Factory exported on 12,500 tonnes of cement to Djibouti in late December and this represents the second such shipment, Yemeni news sources report.

Mozambique cuts cement tax as costs soar

Mozambique has suspended a 10.5 percent tax on cement imports for the next two years to counter rising building costs, a government official said on Thursday. Cabinet spokesman Luis Covane, said local

India: cement traders tighten credit to builders

Come January and builders and contractors in Mumbai will face strict norms for credit on cement purchase as dealers have decided to deal with defaults.

Sierra Leone Cement Corporation Limited - cement price reduction

Leocem wish to inform the general public that the selling price of cement has been decreased with effect from December 15, 2008.

PITC to make first duty-free cement import

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has ordered an initial duty-free importation of 1m bags of cement by the state-owned Philippine International Trading Corp.

India lifts ban on cement exports - trade ministry

India has lifted a ban on cement exports, the trade ministry said

Government plan to import cement bucked, Philippines

A public administration expert and political analyst at the University of the Philippines cast doubt

Freight Markets   

That was the year that was!

As the year comes to a close, it is worth reflecting on a few statistics from the past twelve months since the market highs achieved in May and June, time charter averages for the four main bulk secto

Markets continue on downward spiral

While the Cape-size sector offered a degree of comfort to owners in early December, especially with the Baltic Capesize index posting some useful gains, this shift has not as yet translated into any p

Baltic Dry Index keeps on dropping throughout October

Late October saw the all important Baltic Dry Index trading below 1000 points. The continuous slump has seen the index dropping to 982 points, from an all-time high of 11,793 points last May.

Markets in freefall

With the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) falling throughout the month and accelerating rapidly as we enter October, all indications point to a

A good first half, but what lies ahead?

While shipowners may be congratulating themselves on a successful first half year in 2008, profits buoyed by further significant gains in iron ore and coal trades in the dry bulk sectors and some lucr

Pakistan Cement Factory asked to control pollution

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency has directed a cement factory in Chakwal district to take remedial measures or stop pollution causing activities in the close vicinity of lush green Kalar Ka

Freights exhibit summer lethargy

A relatively quiet month for the dry bulk markets with brokers reporting fewer ships waiting to load at some of the earlier congested major bulk ports and even the imminent arrival of the much-hyped

Panamax freights subject to downward pressures

With dry bulk shipowners continuing to make substantial profits, it is not surprising that a number of industrial groups mulling a move into shipowning continues to grow. India’s Tata Power is reporte

Rates down in the Panamax sector

A steep tumble in Panamax rates pushed the dry index sharply down last week after the mid-sizes failed to hold onto the spectacular gains of the previous tendays. But while the BPI

Baltic gains reflect increased trading activities

Hard to comprehend, the continuing desire to convert aging single-skin VLCCs to dry bulk carriers still

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Corporate   

China National Building Material gets RMB5bn assets

The state-owned Inner Mongolia Power Group has agreed to transfer all of its equity holdings in Inner Mongolia Volan Cement Group (Volan Cement) to China National Building Material Group Corp.

China shares up on government support plans

China’s shares jumped Monday on the first trading day of 2009 after the government promised to take new steps to boost economic growth.

Vale to acquire Cementos Argos export coal assets

Brazilian mining giant Vale says it has reached an agreement to acquire all export coal assets of Colombia’s

Growth in AFR business brings cheer to ACC, India

After reports of continuous de-growth in business, lay-offs, plant shutdown and putting its Rs 600 crore expansion of ready mix concrete business on hold

Market leader ACC reviews past year

Sumit Banerjee, Managing Director of ACC, one of India’s leading cement groups discusses the past year, with 2008 marking the beginning of the end of one of the longest-profitable cycles the country’s

New plant for Jamaica revived

Despite a global economic downturn, Canadian firm Cemcorp Cement is reportedly pressing ahead with plans to construct a US$200m cement plant and limestone quarry that will provide annual output 1.5Mt

Holcim Malaysia poised for higher sales despite economic slowdown

Holcim Malaysia Sdn Bhd expects to record better sales in 2008 despite a slowdown since the third

CRH implements previously announced Board changes

CRH plc, the international building materials group, confirms that the following Board changes, announced during 2008, took effect from 1 January 2009.

HeidelbergCement makes gains

German stocks rose for the first time in four days, led by MAN AG on speculation Europe’s third- largest truckmaker will raise its stake in Swedish competitor Scania AB.

Cemex: canary Island asset sale completed

Cemex announced this week that it has completed the previously-announced sale of its Canary Islands operations to several Spanish subsidiaries of Cimpor Cimentos

Environmental   

EBRD Fund purchases carbon credits from Ukrainian cement producer

The Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund (MCCF) established by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to purchase carbon credits

UK: Lafarge recalls 30,000 bags of cement

Lafarge has recalled 1500t of Blue Circle cement over fears

Final decision on Lafarge burn permit expected soon, US

The Department of Environmental Quality presented an update on the requested burn permit by Lafarg

Australian cement industry to get emissions scheme help

The Federal Government says it is not ignoring the cement industry’s concerns about the extra costs associated with an emissions trading scheme.

Holcim seeks US$75 million carbon credit

PT Holcim Indonesia Tbk seeks accumulative carbon credit worth US$50-70m in 10 years from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).

Emissions trading ’could harm cement industry’, Australia

The Federal Opposition says a cement company could scrap a billion-dollar expansion in central Queensland because of extra costs imposed by an emissions trading scheme.

Maytas Properties SEZ receives Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction in Asia

Maytas Properties Limited, a Hyderabad based leading Property Development Company, has received

Holcim plants trees in former mining area, Indonesia

Hundreds of female employees and wives of workers at cement producer PT Holcim in Cilacap, Central

Mexico set to cut emissions

Mexico said that it would slash its carbon pollution by 50% before 2050, joining Brazil among large

Cemex launches first Sustainable Development Report

Cemex has launched its first Sustainable Development Report to build on its corporate reporting

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Recent Orders   

Holcim appeal next year, New Zealand

An Environment Court appeal hearing for Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd’s proposed $300 million cement

Dust control upgrade for cement plant, Australia

Donaldston Australasia was contracted to upgrade the bulk handling technology used by Morgan

FLSmidth receives order from Spanish customer

FLSmidth has received a contract worth approximately 20m EUR from Sociedad Anónima Tudela Veguín for the supply of an

Weighbridge hattrick for cement loading facility, Australia

Ultrahawke has commissioned three weighbridges at Melbourne Cement’s loading facility in Port

Recent order for ABB

Lafarge has achieved 100 per cent reliability of its cement kiln pre-heater fans, following the installation

Siemens delivers ICT to Ohorongo

Siemens has delivered the key electrical and information and communication technology component to Ohorongo Cement.

FLSmidth supplementary order with Russian customer

FLSmidth has signed a contract with OOO Kurskaya stroitelnaya companiya for supplementary equipment

VDM secures $6m Cemex contract

VDM Group Ltd announced today that its subsidiary VDM Resources & Infrastructure Pty Ltd, trading as Rocktec, has been awarded a contract by Cemex at Port Hedland, Western Australia.

First Trelleborg Scirocco II System for Australia

Trelleborg Engineered Systems Australia are pleased to announce that they have received the first order for Scirocco II Fluidising Hose in Australia.

China’s Sinoma unit wins EUR169.6m Azerbaijan order

Sinoma International Engineering Co Ltd said its CBMI Construction Co Ltd unit has won a contract to build a clinker line valued at EUR169.6m