Asia & Pacific Rim

Malaysia’s Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad has reported positive results for 1Q15, including a 44% increase in its cement division’s pre-tax profit.

Profits took a nosedive in the final quarter of FY14/15 ending 31 March, but in spite of this the firm managed an increase in stand alone net profit for the full year of almost 3%.

The Flex SafePack bag from India’s UFLEX was a silver award winner at the 2015 DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.

The company is reportedly planning to add grinding plants to boost capacity in expectation of renewed demand.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. has signed an Exclusivity Agreement with a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with CRH for five Lafarge plants and associated quarries.

Cemex is investing US$300 million in its Solid plant in Luzon to add a 1.5 million tpy line, doubling the plant’s existing capacity.

According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, cement production declined by 7.3% y/y to 208.65 million t in April 2015.

In a new report, the World Bank has laid out the steps that will need to be taken to achieve zero net emissions by 2100, saying they exist and they are affordable if action is taken now.

Net revenue for the final quarter of this fiscal was up 5%, as the Aditya Birla Group company continues to expand.

Asia Cement (China) Holdings Corporation has reported its financial results and sales data for the first quarter of 2015.

Construction of a new 3200 tpd clinker line in Tajikistan will be overseen by the Central Asia Supervision Company of Hefei Institute.

India’s Ambuja Cements Limited experienced a 9% y/y fall in cement sales volumes in the quarter ending 31 March 2015.

Boral CSR Bricks Pty Limited, the joint venture formed by Boral Limited and CSR Limited commenced operations on 1 May 2015.

India’s core sector growth contracted by 0.1% in March 2015, with cement output falling by 4.2%.

According to Timetric’s Construction Intelligence Centre (CIC), construction output in Australia is forecast to decline by an annual average of 3.5% over the next five years.