Asia & Pacific Rim

Grasim Industries has reported a 33% rise in net profit for the third quarter ended 31 December 2011, driven by the company’s cement business.

HeidelbergCement has opened a new cement ball mill, with a grinding capacity of 0.8 million t, at its plant in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Indonesia’s cement sales grew 17% last year, with total domestic sales reaching 47.9 million t, according to Indonesia’s cement association (ASI).

FLSmidth and Sino Environment Engineering Development Company Ltd are to launch a joint venture to sell air pollution control products to China’s cement industry.

Yunnan Sparton Environtech Co. Ltd. (YSET) has executed a Letter of Intent and cooperation agreement with Lafarge Shui On (Beijing) Technical Services Co., Ltd (LSOC).

The Beumer Group, based in Beckum, Germany, has established an independent company in Australia.

Adelaide Brighton Cement opts for a Siwertell shiploader from Cargotec, attracted by the unit’s environmental credentials.

Dalmia Cement is poised to open new cement plants in Meghalaya and Karnataka, India, as part of its expansion plans.

SDIC sets its sights on West Papua, Indonesia, as the location for a new US$200 million cement plant.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts names Cemex as the supplier of choice for the first phase of a luxury hotel resort in the Philippines.

Loesche has received orders to provide electronic and automation engineering from Hormigones Transex Ltda in Chile and PT Semen Baturaja (Persero) in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the company has also held its first Round Table in Korea.

This round-up includes news of further price increase in India, a new rail link that will open up further investment opportunities in Ras, and protests at a cement plant where a man was fatally injured in an accident.

The Philippines and Indonesia have much in common. The following article is an abridged version of the full article, featured in the December 2011 issue, which explores the two Southeast Asian countries’ similarities and differences.

Indonesia’s Semen Gresik has told The Jakarta Post that it will build two new plants next year.

HeidelbergCement and Ultratech are among the cement producers interested in the joint venture partnership to set up a 3 million tpa plant in India.