Asia & Pacific Rim

Cement sales in the Philippines rose by 11.2% in 2009 on the back of increased election spending and high levels of construction following Tropical Storms.

West China Cement’s Yangxian cement plant is fully commissioned and running at full production capacity.

Figures are in for cement shipments in March, showing the Indian industry is still on a path to double-digit growth for the year. Buoyed by demand from infrastructure projects and residential building projects, the industry hit growth of 10.48% for FY2009/10, according to reports.

Lafarge is expected to pay Rs.600 million to compensate for environmental damage as a result of limestone quarry operations in India.

Two Indian-based companies have been given the go-ahead to create cement plants in Pokot, Kenya

Rajawali Group, Indonesia, has sold its 23.66% stake in PT Semen Gresik

The Indian government is injecting cash into a modernisation project for Tamil Nadu cement.

Abundant limestone reserves in Nepal could not only produce enough cement to meet domestic demand, it could export cement.

Jurong Cement Ltd must de-list itself from the Singapore Exchange after public ownership fell below 10%.

The Indian High Commissioner handed over the first delivery of 10 000 bags of cement to the Secretary of the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief services for resettled civilians in Northern Sri Lanka.

India’s largest road transport company, VRL Logistics Ltd, is moving into the cement industry through the formation of VRL Cements.

India’s Supreme Court has declined to grant permission for Lafarge to mine limestone in Meghalaya forests.

Ambuja Cements, India, has commissioned a 1.5 million t grinding unit in Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh.

Volvo announces multi-million dollar investment in Jinan, China for the creation of a BRIC-country focused product design and technology centre.

Dalmia Cement has announced plans to demerge its cement, thermal power and other businesses.