Africa & The Middle East

East Africa Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) is planning to set up a KES800 million power generation plant in Kenya. The unit will run on waste gases generated by its Athi River cement facility.

Cement and minerals included among Zimbabwe’s principal exports to the Southern African Development Community, which increased by 113% from 2009 to 2013 overall; Nigeria sets up minerals and metal centre to facilitate investment.

Turkey’s Mussa Insaat Dis Ticaret Ltd has ordered another road-mobile Siwertell 10 000 S cement unloader from Cargotec for use in its Libyan operations.

PPC Zimbabwe recorded a 5% y/y fall in domestic cement sales in the first five months of 2014, predominantly due to a decrease in housing projects.

According to local reports, the Angolan government plans to invest in the Nova Cimangola cement plant so that it can increase its capacity

Salem Alawi Mohammed Baabood will replace Mohamed Ahmed al Dheeb as Chief Executive Officer of Raysut Cement Co, the sultanate’s largest cement manufacturer.

The newly elected government in Malawi put construction at the forefront of its campaign promises.

Lafarge will transfer its shares in its Nigerian and South African businesses into Lafarge WAPCO Nigeria Plc, which will then be renamed Lafarge Africa Plc. The new business will have a cement capacity of 12 million tpa.

A review of cement standards has been underway following a spate of building collapses in the country, which have been attributed to the misuse of 32.5 grade cement.

Domestic cement sales fall in Morocco; Habesha Cement receives mining license; Mozambique’s Sofala province invites investment in the cement industry.

Cemex Egypt has made an additional donation to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which will provide food rations to school children and their families in deprived areas in Upper Egypt.

Arabian Cement Company earned net profit of US$16.3 million in the first quarter, as reported in its first earnings announcement since being listed on the stock exchange.

Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) has increased its capital spending budget for expansion projects in Zimbabwe to approximately US$280 million.

The South African cement company is expanding across Africa and aims to increase capacity by 75% in the next three years.

Lafarge has denied holding a ‘dominant position’ after antitrust authorities begin an investigation into the company’s involvement in the Kenyan cement industry.