Cement production softens on weak housing sector
India’s cement production was down in the first quarter of the current financial year, on weak demand from the real estate and housing sector.
The latest cement news
Safety training at Albanian cement plant
An Albanian cement plant has improved its safety standards through training offered by UK-based provider, RRC.
CEMTEC awarded contract in Gambia
CEMTEC Cement and Mining Technology is to supply a new cement grinding plant to Salam Cement Co. in Gambia.
Advertisement
LafargeHolcim officially completes Ravena modernisation
LafargeHolcim has officially completed the Ravena cement plant upgrade project in New York, as the local construction sector booms.
Impasse in Limerick
Irish Cement’s plans to cofire alternative fuels at its Mungret cement plant have met with stiff local opposition. Local journalist, Nick Rabbitts, explains why.
Polaris receives a second take-over bid
Vulcan Materials take-over of Polaris Materials is now in doubt, after receiving a higher bid from an unnamed US building materials company.
N+P extends supply contract with Vassiliko Cement
Netherlands-based supplier of alternative fuels, N+P, has signed an extended supply contract with Cypriot cement maker, Vassiliko Cement Works.
CRH scoops up Ash Grove Cement
Irish building materials giant, CRH, is to buy US cement market, Ash Grove Cement, in a deal worth US$3.5 billion, in the latest in a spate of acquisitions within the sector.
Cimpor reports lower volumes in 1H17
Adverse markets in Brazil, Egypt and Mozambique more than offset positive news from Portugal, Argentina and Paraguay, bringing down Cimpor’s year-on-year volumes in 1H17.
RHI confirms a number of divestments
Global refractories company, RHI, has confirmed a number of divestments as part of its deal to buy Brazilian rival, Magnesita.
HeidelbergCement buys Cementir Italia
HeidelbergCement is to expand its presence within the Italian cement industry, buying the Italian cement and concrete operations of Cementir Holding.
Intercem receives order from German cement plant
Intercem is to optimise a raw meal dosing system at a German cement plant.
Siwertell receives repeat order for cement unloader
Siwertell will deliver a second road-mobile cement unloader to a client in the Middle East.
CalPortland's Mark Rock receives safety award
Mark Rock, Senior Vice President of Risk Management at CalPortland, has been awarded this year’s James M. Christie Safety & Health Professional of the year by the US National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association.
Intercem receive order from Cem’In’Eu
Intercem Engineering has received a semi-turnkey order from Cem’In’Eu for a cement grinding plant.
FLSmidth to supply new mill to India Cements Ltd
FLSmidth is to deliver a new OK vertical cement mill to The India Cements Ltd, one of the leading cement producers in southern India.
Skene Group opts for another Volvo loading shovel
Scottish building materials supplier, Skene Group, has added a second Volvo L220H loading shovel to its fleet at its Soutra Mains quarry.
New mobile version of A TEC’s Rocket Mill
A TEC has successfully launched a mobile version of its grinding mill to demonstrate the benefits of A TEC’s grinding technology.
Cemex included in the Fortune 2017 Change the World list
Mexican building materials company has been included in the Fortune 2017 Change the World List.
Train loadout completed in Ouagadougou
Intercem has completed a new train unloading station at Ouagadougou for Cimfaso, part of Cim Metal Group, in connection with a new cement grinding plant.
Kapilvastu Cement orders Gebr. Pfeiffer MVR mill
Kapilvastu Cement will install and MVR vertical roller mill from Gebr. Pfeiffer at a new cement grinding plant in Kapilvastu, Nepal.
Cemex participates in EPOS project
Cemex is participating in the EU supported EPOS project.
Dangote emerges as bidder for PPC
Dangote Cement has launched a rival takeover offer for South African cement maker, PPC, opening up a potential bidding war with Afrisam.
Argos included in Dow Jones Sustainability Index
Grupo Argos and its subsidiary, Cementos Argos, have been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2017 as the Industry Global Leader in the materials division.
Tarmac helps found new mental health programme
Tarmac is one of the founding partners of Mates in Mind: a new mental health programme for people in the construction sector.
Ohlsson appointed MD of Cementa
Magnus Ohlsson has been appointed the Managing Director of Swedish cement maker and HeidelbergCement subsidiary, Cementa.
Rockwell Automation elects new Chairman of the Board
Rockwell Automation has elected Blake D. Moret as Chairman of the Board.
Cement production softens on weak housing sector
Cement production in the first quarter of the Indian financial year (1QFY17) stood at 72.67 million t, according to a recent report from CARE Ratings, a fall of 3.9% on the same period a year before. The softer market conditions followed low activity in the real estate and housing sectors, which typically account for two-thirds of cement consumption.
The real estate sector has been hit by the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulatory and Development) Act (RERA), under which states are required to establish a new regulatory authority to deal with the real estate sector.
“The newly implemented act, along with regulations and compliances, is making developers cautions,” CARE Ratings said. As a result, the company expects soft market conditions in the real estate and housing sectors to continue “as clarity on RERA implementation would continue to evolve” over the next few quarters.
As a result of the weakness in the real estate sector, as well as higher government spending, infrastructure will account for a higher proportion of India’s cement production, reaching 15% during the current financial year.
“Road and public infrastructure development is expected to push demand for cement in the two coming quarters,” CARE Ratings said.
Looking ahead, the ratings agency expects cement production to start to recover in 3QFY17, as activity in the real estate and housing sectors picks up. Meanwhile, Smart City and national highway projects will fuel demand in the infrastructure sector.
“Implementation in the first batch of 20 Smart Cities has already taken off in stages,” CARE Ratings concluded, “For the remaining 40 Smart Cities chosen in September 2016, we expect the project implementation to begin in 3QFY17, which should drive demand for cement.”