Asia & Pacific Rim

ACC has reported a 4% increase in sales volumes thanks to increasing demand, but also alludes to the challenges of increasing manufacturing and distribution costs.

In its second quarter results, India’s Ambuja Cements reports growth in volumes, sales and profits.

Cement continues to do well in the Philippines where reconstruction efforts and increased infrastructure spending are driving cement demand.

According to local reports, Chettinad Cement Corporation has increased its stake in Anjani Portland Cement to 66.08%.

Lafarge Pakistan Cement Ltd has been acquired by the UK-based Bestway Group, which already has cement operations in Pakistan.

Bangladesh’s only fully integrated cement producer has reportedly signed a supply deal with Metrocem Cement.

Despite a slower second quarter, Thailand’s second largest cement company saw a 10% increase in sales in the first half leading to net profit of THB3.38 billion.

The demand outlook for FY15 appears more favourable in India, while Pakistani exports to Afghanistan fell by around 9% in July – December of FY14.

The Australian cement company has bought the Penrice limestone quarry located near to its Angaston plant.

Loesche’s LM 63.3+3 mill attained a new record product rate of 255 tph of blastfurnace slag meal after only a short period of operation in Taiyuan, northern China.

Siam Cement (Lampang) and three Siam City Cement plants have achieved Green Industry Level 5: Green Network status, marking them as actively achieving and promoting environmentally friendly practices.

According to Guangdong’s Development and Reform Commission, the Chinese province will make further capacity reductions in the iron, steel and cement sectors by 2017.

SCG continues to increase its presence in the ASEAN market with plans to construct a new 1.8 million tpa cement plant in Mawlamyine, Myanmar.

Cement boycotts continue in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while expansion and consolidation is on the cards in North India.

In its June quarter results, the Aditya Birla-owned company achieved significantly higher net sales despite reduced net profit.