Banco plans cement plant in Tanzania

MUMBAI: Banco Products (India), manufacturer of gaskets and radiators, will invest 300 crore to set up its maiden cement plant in Tanzania to cater to the east-African markets. The company will chip in with `100 crore as its equity contribution for the project which will produce 0.5 million tonne of cement a year. The remaining `200 crore will be funded by bank loans, Vimal K Patel, chairman, Banco Products said. 

Tanzania-based Lake Cement, in which Banco acquired a 51% stake last month, will be the investment vehicle for the greenfield project. The JV has acquired 70 hectares of land, having limestone deposits, and it will import coal from South Africa. The land acquisition and other necessary government clearances have been procured. 

The Tanzania market, estimated to be at 2.7 million tonne, is dominated by Holcim, Heidelberg and Lafarge. With a compound growth rate of 8% in Tanzania and 6.5% in the neighbouring countries, the demand for cement is expected to go up to 4.45 mt by 2016, said an analyst with a domestic brokerage. 

The neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Burundi are land-locked and have no cement producing facilities. These markets will have easier geographical and commercial access from Tanzania under the recently introduced East-African Community’s Free Trade Regime, the analyst added. Banco has plants in India and manufacturing subsidiaries in Europe. Its customers include Maruti, Tata Motors, Hero Honda, TVS Group and Ashok Leyland 

Taiwan Cement Expects Sales Growth in Taiwan and China

Taipei --Taiwan Cement Corporation, Taiwan`s leading producer of cement, recently predicted substantial sales growth both in Taiwan and China in the second half of this year. 

After securing a 30% year-on-year growth in sales in the first half, Taiwan Cement vice president C.C. Huang forecast a 30% year-on-year growth in domestic sales in the second half based on rising selling price of imported cement. In addition, the company`s market share will reach over 40% in Guangdong province, China based on being better positioned to fix prices after acquiring Prosperity International Holding Co., one of China`s leading cement producers, with the move to help Taiwan Cement add about 10 million tons yearly in capacity. The company predicts total production capacity will reach 50 million tons per year in China by 2012. 

Huang said consumption of cement in Taiwan surged 10% year-on-year in the first half due to recovering economy and public works projects, with the consumption expected to grow 15% year-on-year in the second half. 

Huang noted the price hike in imported cement will lead domestic cement producers to follow suit for typically locally made cement is priced higher by NT$100 and NT$200 per ton. Taiwan Cement may raise product prices sometime in the fourth quarter depending on sales in the third quarter. 

India Cements Q1 net profit dips to Rs 24.98 cr

CHENNAI: India Cements’ has begun the financial year amid rough weather with its net profit nose diving to Rs 24.98 crore in first quarter ending June 30, 2010 against Rs 144 crore in the same period last year. The capacity overhang in the south and slump in cement prices have depressed ICL’s bottomline. 

What has helped the company to stay on profit track is the profit of Rs 25.76 crore realised from the sale of entire its stake in Bharti Cement in Andhra Pradesh. Though company stepped up sales volume, price loss of Rs 672 per tonne pulled down net sales to Rs 880.69 crore (Rs 953.48 crore). 

Share of central rights income pertaining to the IPL from BCCI has not been considered in the quarter, pending quantification of the same. 

During the quarter, clinker production was up by 3% at 21.21 lakh tonnes (20.65 lakh tonnes). 

ICL has consciously adopted a strategy to sell more in TN and Kerala. It already stepped up its sales share in the two states, by 10% to 57% in July and this will be increased to 60%. "Our aim is to improve market share in higher yielding markets," ICL MD N Srinivasan told reporters on Monday. 

Highlighting the "long-term" business cycle of cement industry, he said within south, while Karnataka registered a growth of over 10% in Q1, there was a negative growth of 5% in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and Tamil Nadu registering a paltry 3% growth. 

Despite the sluggish demand in south the company has been able to achieve better volumes. It is also exploring markets in the north and east, which helped in getting better realisation as compared to south. 

While the EBIDTA has remained the same during the last three years, the price disparity had affected the company’s performance in the first quarter of this year, Mr Srinivasan said. EBIDTA during Q1 more than halved to Rs 128.53 crore ( Rs 293.11 crore). Interest charges reduced to Rs 29.75 crore ( Rs 38.48 crore) while depreciation charges claimed Rs 59.85 crore (Rs 57.07 crore). 

He said on top of the price loss of Rs 672 per tonne, the input costs went up due to the increase in the cost of fly ash, power besides the increase in excise duty from 8% to 10%. 

Kenya: Bamburi Cement Posts Drop in Pre-Tax Profit

Nairobi — Bamburi Cement has posted a drop in its pre-tax profit from Sh4.5 billion to Sh3.5 billion in the first-half of this year.

The cement manufacturers said the figure does not factor a one-off receipt of Sh218 million from the insurers in the second-quarter of 2009.

Compared to the same period last year, the group's turnover reduced to Sh13 billion from Sh16 billion, due to slower cement market growth in Kenya and Uganda.

The management said lower prices across all markets were also responsible for the drop.

The company's products, the management added, had an unusually higher market share during the first-half of 2009 due to 'unique' market circumstances in Kenya, which was specific to the year.

Operating profit decreased from Sh4.2 billion to Sh3.3 billion due to lower turnover and increase in power prices, particularly during the first-quarter of the year.

However, the management said this was partly cushioned by the reduction of the fixed operating expenses by 6 per cent, following their cost reduction efforts.

Lower inflation rates in Kenya and Uganda, which were 3.2 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively and reduction in distribution costs, were also a boost to the company.

During the period, the company said it enhanced its repayment of unsecured US dollar denominated loans from Lafarge by US$ 14 million to mitigate hard currency exposure.

The managing director, Mr Hussein Mansi, said the economy had showed signs of growth and combined with infrastructure expansion and the economic stimulus programme, expected the sector to grow faster in the second-half of the year.

He added that the company will continue shedding off wastage, particularly in the distribution system.

"These efforts will be bolstered by increased capacity when the Kasese plant in Uganda is fully operational in August 2010, and continued reduction of the group's net debt," he said.

He said stronger market growth realised from the mid of the second-quarter in Kenya and higher sales volumes in Uganda, as a result of commissioning of the new cement production line in July, the group is optimistic it will achieve stronger top line growth and results during the second half of the year.

Uganda: HIMA Cement Commissions New Factory

Kampala — HIMA Cement last week opened its new plant set to raise annual production and supply of cement by an additional 500,000 tonnes.

The opening of the plant now increases Hima Cement's annual production capacity to 850,000 tonnes from the previous 350,000.

"I believe the new investment will go along way in increasing the supply of cement in the local market, meaning Uganda will cease to be a net importer of cement," Hillary Onek, the energy minister, said in a sptatement.

Peter Lokeris, the minerals state minister, represented Onek during the launch at the Kampala Serena Hotel last week. "I expect this position will save our economy in excess of sh100b annually, which otherwise would have been lost in foreign exchange," Lokeris said.

Demand for cement, a key economic indicator, is expected to remain highthroughout this year as a result of infrastructure projects and home building currently underway in the country, industry players say.

In 2008, due to supply shortages accruing from run-away demand from the construction industry, Uganda and four other East Africa Community partner states lowered the common external tariff for cement from 40% to 25% to permit importation of cheap cement from China and Pakistan.

This apparently increased the state's foreign exchange outflow through hiked import expenditure. "We want to assure the market of high quality products manufactured under friendly environmental conditions, which observe global standards in emissions," Hussein Minsi, the chairman of Hima Cement, said. He added that many jobs would be created.

Martin Aliker, a director at the firm, said the opening of EAC borders would enable the firm harness more opportunities.

Mozambique: 'Cimentos De Mocambique' to Double Cement Production by 2011

Maputo — The company "Cimentos de Mocambique", the largest cement factory in Mozambique which is also a subsidiary of Cimpor - Cimentos de Portugal, is set to double its production by 2011, to reach one million tonnes per year, up from the current 500,000 tonnes.

According to the Monday's issue of the daily paper "Noticias", this could help to alleviate the persistent shortage of cement in the domestic market.

To that end, the company Cimentos de Mocambique, which is located in the southern province of Maputo, will install a new mill and three more packaging machines, an investment worth over 18 million euros.

Currently, there under way works for the construction of new structures that will accommodate the new mill, which is expected to be commissioned in May next year.

The Chairman of the Executive Committee of Cimentos de Mocambique, Steffen Kasa, assured that the main pieces of equipment are already in the premises, including the new mill, and he believes that the works will be completed within the set deadline.

'We are currently installing a new mill and all major components which are already in the factory premises. We are doing civil works, mechanical operations, as well as the required electrical installation 'said Steffen Kasa.

The company believes that after completion, Cimentos de Mocambique will be in a position to meet the needs of cement in the domestic market until 2015. The company also expects to expand its production in other two factories, one located in the district of Dondo, central province of Sofala, and the other in the town of Nacala, in the northern province of Nampula, currently with an installed capacity of 240 and 120 tonnes respectively.

According to its projections this group expects to reach a production of 1.5 million tonnes by 2014, to meet the demand posed by a number of construction projects planned by both the Mozambican Government and the private sector in the sector of infrastructures.

Meanwhile, prices of cement have been increased on Sunday, and now a bag of 50 kilos is sold at the factory gate in Matola at 262.07 meticais up from the 238.68 meticais sold last week (there are about 35,83 meticais in one US dollar).

Sunera Cimento, another small factory located in the district of Boane, also in the southern province of Maputo, has increased cement prices from 250 to 285 meticais.

VIETNAM: Cement supply exceeds demand

During the first seven months this year, Vietnam’s cement producers turned out 28.9 million tonnes or 57.8% of this year’s target while the sales reached only 27.92 million tonnes, or 55.8% of this year’s plan.

In July, due to impacts from natural disaster, the cement consumption decreased strongly, reaching only 3.72 million tonnes.

In 2010, the demand of cement will be about 50-51.5 million tonnes, up 11% compared to last year, the Ministry of Construction estimated.

As planned, Vietnam Cement Industry Corp will produce and sell about 18-18.5 million tonnes; 15-15.5 million tonnes will be made by joint venture companies and 17-17.5 million tonnes from blast furnaces in localities.

Portland amplía el vencimiento de un préstamo de 150 millones

Cementos Portland
, la filial cementera de FCC, sigue los pasos de su matriz y avanza en su plan de refinanciación de la deuda. La compañía ha llegado a un acuerdo con cinco entidades financieras para ampliar tres años el vencimiento de un préstamo de 150 millones, hasta febrero de 2014.

El acuerdo alcanzado supone amortizar el importe del crédito en cinco pagos semestrales a partir de agosto de 2011. Cada uno de estos pagos se realizará por un importe del 10% del total y habrá un último pago adicional por el 50% restante.

Esta nueva financiación le supondrá un coste de 295 puntos básicos sobre euribor, según ha comunicado la compañía a la Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV). En cualquier caso, la compañía asegura que la prolongación de este vencimiento pone de manifiesto su capacidad de negociación en los mercados financieros.

Cementos Portland acumulaba una deuda neta a finales del primer semestre de 1.456 millones de euros, es decir, un 22,5% (421 millones) menos que en el mismo periodo de un año antes. En eses mismo periodo la cementera redujo un 17,6% sus gastos financieros, hasta 31,1 millones de euros.

En 2009 esta filial de FCC fortaleció su situación financiera con la ampliación de capital de 202 millones, las ventas de activos no estratégicos en Argentina y Uruguay por 136 millones, y gracias a los bajos tipos de interés. Así, al cierre del primer semestre Portland Valderrivas dispone de una tesorería y activos equivalentes de 410 millones, 194 millones en líneas de crédito y otras facilidades de caja no utilizadas.

Los títulos de la cementera ceden un 0,22% en bolsa, hasta 13,72 euros.

China Shuangji Cement, Ltd. Sees Increasing Demand from Consolidation and Government Stimulus

China Shuangji Cement, Ltd., a leading producer of high-quality Portland cement in Shandong and Hainan Provinces in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), said today that it is anticipating that a new round of adjustment in the Chinese cement industry that is expected to be announced by the government will further drive industry growth.

According to a July 28 report in China’s Economic Information Daily, a key publication sponsored by the Xinhua News Agency, the government’s new Cement Industry Development Policy has now been finalized, and industry insiders believe that a new round of measures encouraging larger enterprises to merge and further eliminate backwards production is about to be unveiled. The Chinese government has already taken measures to consolidate the cement industry, eliminating inefficient low-grade cement plants and phasing out smaller producers in order to retire “aged” production facilities. The amended Policy, according to the report, is expected to accelerate industry consolidation in the second half of 2010, quickening the pace of cement industry mergers and acquisitions and benefiting larger cement producers as well as the entire industry. According to the report, the Policy is expected to encourage new methods of dry cement production and to require more stringent equipment standards for cement producers in order to further upgrade and structurally optimize the industry by 2015. By that time, the top ten cement producers are expected to account for 35% of China’s projected cement output of 2.04 billion metric tons, based on preliminary estimates, compared to 22.6% of the country’s 1.63 billion ton output in 2009.

“We expect the PRC Government’s policy to be a boon to the cement industry in China and to increase demand for our cement as smaller, more inefficient producers continue to shut down and government and local customers require more cement for new infrastructure, housing and other projects,” said Mr. Wenji Song, Chairman and President of China Shuangji Cement, Ltd. “This is being supported by the government’s $586 billion economic stimulus package, which has increased projects involving steel, aluminum, and cement, as well as measures to boost rural consumption by subsidizing procurement of building materials.” Concluded Mr. Song, “We are already seeing increased interest from local contractors to buy our cement and have received a 10 year $3.7 million 10% interest loan* that will allow us to complete our new modern cement facility in Zhaoyuan City, which is expected to increase our production capacity by 1,000,000 metric tons to an estimated 2,500,000 metric tons per year. This will solidify our position as a major cement player in fast growing Shandong and Hainan Provinces.”

*The $3.7 million loan is not convertible into stock and does not have warrants.

About China Shuangji Cement, Ltd.

China Shuangji Cement, Ltd. , through its affiliates and controlled entities, is a leading producer of high-quality Portland cement in Shandong and Hainan Provinces. Its processed cement products are primarily purchased by contractors for the construction of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure projects. The Company currently produces approximately 1,500,000 tons of Portland cement annually from two facilities in Hainan and one facility in Shandong and it expects its output will increase by 1,000,000 tons to a total of 2,500,000 tons once the new Zhaoyuan (Shandong Province) plant and upgrades are completed.

QNCC expects local demand surge in ’11

Qatar National Cement Company (QNCC) yesterday said the domestic cement demand is expected to surge to 25,000 tonnes per day by next year due to large projects coming up in the country.

Khatib and al-Sulaiti outlining
the QNCC growth strategy 

QNCC, whose major business include the government projects, is also setting up a calcium carbonate plant at an estimated cost of QR40mn, according to senior officials.

Right now the (daily) cement demand is 15,000 tonnes. Globally there has been a 30% drop in demand due to real estate slump and other reasons brought about by the global financial contagion, according to QNCC production manager Kamal Khatib.

In 2008, Qatar had the highest per capita cement usage of 7 tonnes, he said, adding the cement industry is expected to get a major fillip by next year.

“It (cement demand) will get back to 25,000 tonnes per day after December (2010) because of the major projects announced by the government,” Khatib said on the sidelines of a function to analyse the first-half results, which showed a marginal 1% rise in net profit to QR256.79mn.

Khatib said QNCC is diversifying production to hedge the risk of concentration.

On the new carbonate plant, which comes as part of its diversification plan, QNCC general manager Mohamed Ali al-Sulaiti said the production capacity would be 250 tonnes per day and is expected to be operational by June next year. 

In May this year, the company had entered into agreement with Stream Industrial Engineering Company to construct the plant at Umm Bab.

The plant would meet the demand of calcium carbonate from Qatar Electricity and Water Company in accordance with the supply agreement between the two parties made in 2009 for 25 years.

Asked about the 33% drop in revenues during January-June this year, Khatib said it was due to fall in the sales.

To a query whether QNCC would be tapping the debt market, Khatib said the company’s financial position was good and hence there was no need for funds. 

In May this year, QNCC informed the Qatari bourse that it had entered into an agreement with Singapore-based Islamic Bank of Asia for a QR164mn Murabaha facility, repayable in quarterly installments within three years.

Moody's reviews Lafarge for possible cut to junk

Moody's put Lafarge's debt Baa3 rating under review
* Says group to face "challenges" to achieve leverage ratios

* Lafarge shares down 0.54 percent

* France's CAC 40 index of blue chips .FCHI down 0.28 pct

Lafarge (LAFP.PA) may see its 15.2 billion euro ($19.87 billion) debt cut to speculative grade by rating agency Moody's, as the world's largest cement maker faces "challenges" to meet leverage ratios in a sluggish construction sector.

The Paris-based group, whose debt was swollen by the acquisition of Orascom Cement in 2007, cut its forecast for global cement demand last Friday, citing concerns over austerity measures in Europe that could affect infrastructure projects.

By putting its Baa3 rating under negative review, Moody's Investors Service is the second of the major three rating agencies to threaten to cut the French group's debt to junk status, after S&P put its BBB- on review last March.

Fitch also rates Lafarge's debt a notch above speculative grade.

In a statement on Tuesday, Moody's said that there has been "limited progress in the company's financial metrics".

This was "despite meaningful deleveraging measures since 2008, such as a rights issue, reduction of capex and efficient working capital management, which have been offset to some extent by the decision to increase the dividend payment."

A Lafarge spokeswoman declined to comment on the rating decision.

A downgrade of Lafarge's debt would increase interest payment by 55 million euros on a 12-month basis, Chief Financial Officer Jean-Jacques Gauthier told a conference call after the group's first-half results last Friday.

Chief Executive Bruno Lafont also said at the time Lafarge would limit investments to 1 billion euros in 2011 to reduce debt, and had cut costs by 200 million euros so far this year.

The group would exceed its cost-cutting target for 2010 by 200 million euros and would target a further cost reduction of 200 million euros next year, he said.

These measures were prompted by the still declining results Lafarge posted in the first half and the dark outlook the group gave to the market, saying global cement demand in its markets would rise by 3 percent at best, or fall 1 percent at worst.

Lafarge's debt rose to 15.2 billion euros at end-June, from 14.6 billion euros at the end of the first quarter.

Moody's said the debt had been strongly influenced by the weak euro, which, according to Lafarge, translated into an additional 1 billion euro of debt at end-June.

Lafarge shares were down 0.54 percent by 1450 GMT broadly in line with France's CAC 40 index of blue chips .FCHI which was down 0.28 percent. The stock had closed down 3.9 percent last Friday on the company's earnings results. ($1=.7650 Euro)

Turkey's Icdas to invest $2-2.5 bln in energy

Turkish private firm Icdas, active in the energy to construction sectors, expects to invest $2-2.5 billion in power production and energy projects, the company's general manager Bulend Engin said.

The company will also build in the coming period a 2.5 million tonne capacity cement factory in Turkey's northwest, worth some $200 million, Engin said at a press conference late on Monday.

He gave no specific date for the construction of the plant.

Icdas plans to bring the first unit of its 1,200 megawatt coal-fired power plant on line by the end of 2011, Engin said. The second is seen coming on line at the end of 2012.

The company has also applied to the energy markets board to build a separate 106 megawatt wind power station.

Cement sales also hit by 'Dudus' unrest

CARIBBEAN Cement Company (CCC) blamed the recession and the State of Emergency for its "disappointing" $218 million net loss in its second quarter, despite internal operational challenges related to its Mill-5 plant.

Additionally, the cement manufacturer was operating with negative working capital of $140 million as at June 2010, whilst the deficit on its cash flow worsened some 66 per cent to $100 million compared with the prior year's quarter.

For the review period, revenues were down 8.4 per cent to $2.13 billion whilst expenses were up 14.2 per cent to $2.4 billion compared with the prior year's quarter.

It resulted in CCC recording an operating loss of $344.6 million versus a trading profit of $191.9 million in the prior year's quarter.

"The very disappointing financial performance during the second quarter of 2010 is due in the main to a 19 per cent reduction in local sales volumes. In an environment where the economy and construction sector continue to contract, the civil disorder that led to the declaration of a State of Emergency further constrained sales," said company statements endorsed by Brian Young, chairman and Dr Rollin Bertrand, group chief executive officer.

The statement which accompanied financials posted to the Jamaica Stock Exchange, added that the reduction in total revenues occurred despite more than doubling its export sales volumes. During this quarter CCC exported 50,079 tonnes of cement and 23,006 tonnes of clinker -- equivalent to approximately 80,000 tonnes of cement.

The company stated that compared with 2009, its cost of sales has also been impacted by increased operating lease costs as Mill-5 was not in operation in the second quarter of 2009, and increases in electricity and diesel fuel charges. It added that the civil unrest led to a complete shutdown of the plant "which proved very costly to the company".

CCC, ultimately owned by Trinidad Cement Limited, argued that it would appeal a ruling of the Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Commission which it said found "no threat of material injury to the local industry" regarding a July 2010 final determination on cement dumping.

"Having reviewed the Commission's Statement of Reasons, we intend to exercise our option to appeal the decision. We have a second matter before the Commission with regard to imports from the Dominican Republic. At the time of writing the preliminary determination has not been released," the director's report stated.

Its outlook remains bleak in regard to local sales, but it expects to focus on exports going forward, the company stated.

"With the continuing contraction in the domestic economy and the re-entry of a third importer of dumped cement, we do not anticipate any improvement in domestic sales in the short term. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we continue to achieve increased export sales, including now regular exports to Haiti. We will continue to proactively develop these markets, while at the same time, continuing to defend the local market using all legal avenues available," it stated.

ESPAÑA: Comienza la construcción de los nuevos silos en el puerto

La empresa Cimsa ha comenzado las obras del primero de los nueve silos que se implantarán en la ampliación del puerto de Alicante, concretamente en los muelles 19 y 21.

El Consejo de Administración de la Autoridad Portuaria de Alicante aprobó, por unanimidad, el comienzo de las obras de los nuevos silos en la ampliación del puerto.

El presidente de la Autoridad Portuaria de Alicante, Miguel Campoy, manifestó recientemente que “atendiendo a la preocupación expresada por algunos miembros del Consejo y a la sensibilidad de los vecinos de la fachada sur de la ciudad, se han aprobado importantes modificaciones para reducir las dimensiones de la instalación y minimizar su impacto sobre el paisaje”.

El presidente de la APA destacó que “el traslado de los silos, actualmente ubicados en el Muelle 14, a los Muelles 19 y 21 de la nueva ampliación es fundamental”. El principal de los motivos que aduce la APA es la liberación de los Muelles de Levante para uso exclusivo del tráfico de cruceros y de eventos deportivos y de ocio que se vienen celebrando. Eventos que “aportan a la ciudad, como puede ser la salida de la regata Volvo Ocean Race que convertirá a Alicante en sede de la misma hasta el 2018”, según el presidente de la APA.

En ese sentido, Miguel Campoy recordó que “uno de los principales objetivos de la construcción de la nueva ampliación fue precisamente la reubicación de los silos”. El presidente de la APA señaló que el movimiento de cemento en el puerto de Alicante es un “tráfico tradicional” y que supone el 21% del total del movimiento de mercancías.

El número de silos previsto pasa de 17 a nueve en la actualidad y la altura máxima de la instalación se reduce de 55 metros a 36 metros

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Invertirán 100 millones de dólares en planta cementera

29/07/2010

Este viernes se dará la palada inicial de un proyecto que plantea la instalación de una planta cementera en la zona de Villa Hayes, en el Chaco. En el proyecto se invertirán 100 millones de dólares. El acto oficial será presidido por presidentes de Paraguay y Brasil.

Los presidentes Fernando Lugo y Lula Da Silva participarán del acto de inicio de la construcción de una planta de cemento. Este proyecto dará mano de obra a 1.000 obreros y demandará una inversión de 100 millones de dólares.

La ceremonia se llevará a cabo este viernes, según la página web de la Presidencia de Paraguay. La industria, según la fuente, comenzará a operar en el año 2012.

Producirá unas 400.000 toneladas por año de cemento. Unos 300 obreros serán contratados cuando comience a funcionar la industria.

El proyecto “Cementos Yguazú” pertenece a un consorcio formado por las siguientes empresas: Camargo Correa Cimentos, Concret-Mix y Votorantim Cimentos.

Se aprovechará la visita del presidente Lula prevista para este viernes para la palada inicial. El presidente viene también para el inicio de construcción de una central eléctrica en la zona de Villa Hayes. Hasta este punto llegará la línea de 500 kV, que transportará energía de Itaipú.

HONDURAS: Cae producción de cemento en Honduras

La situación por la que atraviesa la industria de la construcción ha terminado por afectar a sectores afines

29.07.10 

El consumo de cemento se ha reducido en unas 60,000 toneladas desde 2008.

TEGUCIGALPA , 

HONDURAS

La caída registrada en el sector construcción se ha llevado consigo la producción de cemento.

La industria cementera preveía este año un consumo que podía llegar a las 120,000 toneladas mensuales, sin embargo, tal expectativa parece ahora lejos de materializarse.

Los cementeros calculan que el consumo mensual oscila entre 80,000 y 90,000 toneladas métricas de cemento, en contraste con lo que ocurría en 2008, cuando el consumo llego a promediar 150,000 toneladas mensuales.

Este panorama desalentador para los cementeros y constructores del país ha llevado a que soliciten la pronta intervención del Gobierno con estrategias que incentiven la reactivación del sector, tanto a nivel público como privado.

Juan Carlos Sikafi, directivo de la Cámara Hondureña de la Industria de la Construcción, Chico, comentó que “el Gobierno debe hacer algo para bajar las tasas de interés de los préstamos en los bancos e incentivar a la banca a prestar dinero más barato, como sucedió en Estados Unidos”.

De acuerdo con datos de la Asociación Hondureña de Instituciones Bancarias, Ahiba, la liquidez total asciende a 31,163 millones de lempiras. La falta de financiamiento se percibe como un factor que frena el despegue de la industria constructora, a pesar de los abundantes recursos existentes en el sistema bancario. Comparada con diciembre de 2009, la liquidez en moneda nacional incrementó en 9,138 millones, es decir, un 89.2% y en moneda extranjera disminuyó en 346 millones, equivalentes a un 2.9%.

Sikafy dijo además que los institutos de previsión manejan una importante cantidad de fondos, pero la utilizan para el consumo y no para apoyar a los sectores productivos.

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