Africa & The Middle East

According to reports, PPC subsidiary CIMERWA has launched a new cement production line, increasing capacity to 600 000 tpy.

Q1 2015 cement production reached 15.774 million t and clinker output passed 19.264 million t.

The ANRC will focus on upstream natural resources management – i.e. not on the processing and post-processing stages.

FLSmidth and D.G. Khan Cement Company Ltd have signed a contract worth €57 million for FLSmidth to supply engineering and equipment to a cement plant in Pakistan.

Higher expenses hit the cement company hard, while a kiln maintenance project also contributed to a 40% drop in net profit.

The mandate of the new Board of Directors and of the new Executive Committee with Eric Olsen as CEO will become effective.

A round-up of some of this week’s key news items from the international cement industry, from the introduction of World Cement’s yearly World Review to the latest corporate affairs.

Holcim has announced Bernard Fontana will step down from his position as CEO of Holcim Ltd.

Vortex appoints Teelad Investments as its exclusive agent in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and the Benin Republic.

Andreas Leu and Bernard Terver will step down from the Holcim Executive Committee.

South Africa's first quarter cement sales have increased by more than 15% as a result of demand from smaller players.

Bamburi Cement and ARM have voiced their concern that the Chinese contractor on the Standard Gauge Railway Project is importing cement when it could source entirely from local suppliers.

Under a new framework agreement, Qatar Primary Materials Company will provide raw materials to Ashgal.

Reports indicate that Dangote Cement is planning to expand capacity at its Douala plant from 1.5 million to 3 million tpy.

The Autorité des marchés financiers has published the interim results of the public exchange offer initiated by Holcim Ltd for the shares of Lafarge S.A.