Asia & Pacific Rim

India’s Shiva Cement posted a standalone net profit of Rs.96.34 lakh for the quarter ended 31 March 2014, a huge 252.5% y/y increase compared to the corresponding quarter in 2013.

JK Lakshmi Cement’s new 2.7 million tpa manufacturing plant at Durg, located in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, will be commissioned by the third quarter of the current fiscal year.

Balan Velan, Scorpio Engineering Pvt. Ltd, India, outlines methods for effective and low cost cement distribution in India.

The output of India’s core industries improved by 4.2% in April 2014, with cement up 6.7%.

According to reports, net profit of India’s Saurashtra Cement increased by 103.76% y/y to Rs.18.42 crore in the quarter ended 31 March 2014.

Lafarge Republic, Inc. has launched a new cement variant to help reduce reconstruction costs in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda and the Bohol earthquake; Holcim Philippines builds a sustainable village for those affected by Typhoon Pablo.

Gujarat Sidhee Cement and Gangotri Cement report a rise in sales for the January – March quarter.

According to officials from Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue, the government is likely to raise the federal excise duty (FED) on cement by some Rs.100/t in the upcoming budget.

In the second part of this abridged article from the June 2014 issue, Ambuja Cements explains how new technologies have helped to improve supply chain efficiency.

The latest news updates from India’s Mangalam Cement, Jaiprakash Associates Ltd and Star Ferro & Cement Ltd.

According to reports, a national carbon market – the biggest in the world – could be in place in China by 2018, subsequent to the completion of the seven pilot schemes currently ongoing.

This week saw a number of sustainability and conservation news items from the international cement industry, in addition to the announcement of acquisitions and product range expansions.

The Pakistani government’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) has provided a boost to the construction sector and helped to increase cement sales throughout the country.

India’s Kakatiya Cements recorded a 10.47% rise in sales to Rs 63.08 crore and an 86.74% decrease in net profit to Rs 1.24 crore in the quarter ended 31 March 2014.

Some key facts on India and its cement sector, the focus of the regional report in World Cement’s June 2014 issue.