Friday, September 24, 2010

ESPAÑA: La fábrica de cemento de Cemex en Lloseta (Mallorca) logra el récord de dos años sin ningún accidente laboral

 La fábrica de Cemex de Lloseta (Mallorca) ha conseguido alcanzar el récord de 730 días consecutivos sin ningún accidente laboral con baja, tanto entre su personal propio como externo. Este record convierte a la instalación mallorquina de Cemex en la planta cementera de España, y una de las de la Región de Europa, África, Asia, Oriente Medio y Australia (EMEA), que mejores estándares de seguridad y salud laboral ha alcanzado.
Según Cemex, la política de la planta de Lloseta en materia de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, cuyo lema es ‘Objetivo Cero Accidentes’, “consiste en formar, involucrar y concienciar a todos los trabajadores, tanto propios como externos, de que el objetivo se puede alcanzar y prueba de ello son los más de 730 días sin accidentes logrados en Lloseta. Para ello, es necesario no bajar la guardia e implantar todas acciones necesarias para alcanzar este fin”.
Las actividades de Cemex dirigidas a reducir la siniestralidad laboral incluyen:
  • Observaciones preventivas realizadas por los mandos y destinadas a comentar con los trabajadores, in situ, la forma de realizar los trabajos de la manera más segura. En 2010 se llevan realizadas 277.
  • Tarjetas de aviso de riesgos e incidentes, que alertan de una situación de riesgo para que los responsables de esa instalación la corrijan. En 2010 se han tramitado ya 59 tarjetas, unidas a las 127 tarjetas de 2009 y 92 tarjetas de 2008.
  • Formación de los trabajadores, con una media de 20 horas de formación en materia de prevención de riesgos laborales por trabajador y año.
  • Auditorías internas y externas de seguridad de todos los procedimientos y operaciones.
Conjunto de España
Por lo que se refiere al conjunto de España, en 2009 Cemex realizó más de 26.600 horas de formación en seguridad entre sus empleados. También se realizaron 1.073 visitas preventivas de seguridad de directores generales y mandos, en el compromiso de todos de que la prevención y concienciación es la mejor arma para evitar accidentes.
En 2009 la accidentalidad con baja se redujo en un 33% en relación a 2008, lo que significa un índice de incidencia más de 16 veces inferior al del sector industrial, y más de 20 veces menor que el de construcción.

PERU: Cementos Lima ampliará planta de Atocongo con US$ 40 millones


Cementos Lima aprobó un financiamiento de US$ 40 millones del BBVA Banco Continental, a un plazo de seis años con dos años de periodo de gracia, para la ampliación de capacidad de su planta de Atocongo.
Adicionalmente, el directorio de Cementos Lima aprobó celebrar con el BBVA Banco Continental una operación de Interest Rate Swap para dar cobertura a la totalidad de los flujos de pagos de intereses derivados del contrato de préstamo por US$ 40 millones, a un plazo de seis años.
La modernización de la planta de Atocongo busca aumentar la capacidad de producción del Horno I de 3,200 a 7,500 tclinker/ día, elevar la capacidad de producción de crudo mediante la instalación de una nueva prensa de rodillos de 310 t/h e incrementar la producción de cemento con una nueva prensa de rodillos de 120 t/h.
Según la Memoria Anual 2009 de la cementera, el presupuesto, que incluye el multisilo, asciende a US$ 230 millones, de los cuales Cementos Lima ya ha comprometido al cierre del 2009 un total de US$ 44 millones, destinados al multisilo, a trabajos preliminares, ingeniería y adquisición de los principales suministros mecánicos y eléctricos, y al inicio de las obras civiles de los edificios para las prensas.
En el 2010, Cementos Lima tiene previsto invertir US$ 162 millones, de los cuales 66 millones serán destinados a la ampliación de su planta cementera Atocongo, según informó a la Comisión Nacional Supervisora de Empresas y Valores (Conasev).
En mayo del 2010, Cementos Lima también informó al supervisor que su directorio aprobó realizar una operación de arrendamiento financiero (leasing) por el importe de US$ 30 millones destinados a financiar las obras civiles para la ampliación de su planta Atocongo.

EUROPA: Lenta recuperación EU complicaría finanzas de Cemex

Cemex la tercera o cuarta mayor cementera del mundo, está luchando por reactivar sus ventas en Estados Unidos
MONTERREY, NUEVO LEÓN (23/SEP/2010).- La lenta recuperación en la demanda de cemento en Estados Unidos hará difícil que la mexicana Cemex cumpla sus metas operativas este año, lo que la podría empujar a vender más activos o intercambiar deuda para mantenerse dentro de un estricto acuerdo de refinanciamiento. 

Cemex, la tercera mayor cementera del mundo, está luchando por reactivar sus ventas en Estados Unidos, su mayor mercado, golpeada por la menor demanda y los bajos precios. 

Y aunque ya pagó sus amortizaciones hasta mediados del 2012 tras refinanciar 15 mil millones de dólares de deuda el año pasado, analistas estiman que la lenta recuperación en sus principales mercados dejaría sus finanzas más débiles de lo que prometió a sus acreedores. 

Cemex se comprometió a alcanzar un ratio de deuda/EBITDA de 6.75 veces para diciembre y de 5.75 veces para junio del 2011. Si no lo logra, sus acreedores elevarían el interés de la deuda refinanciada. 

"Pensamos que ellos van a perder eso (el nivel de endeudamiento requerido) en diciembre y tendrán que renegociar", dijo Jim V. Harper, socio y director de análisis corporativo de BCP Securities en Estados Unidos.

BOLIVIA: Gobierno boliviano acelera importación de 10 mil t de cemento de Perú

La Paz, 23 de septiembre.- El Gobierno determinó ayer, por decreto, importar 10 mil toneladas (t) de cemento de la fábrica peruana Yura, que será comercializado por Insumos Bolivia (IB) a Bs 1 el kilo a partir de este fin de semana.
Los ministros de Planificación del Desarrollo, Viviana Caro Hinojosa, y de Obras Públicas, Wálter Delgadillo, presentaron la norma tras la sesión de gabinete.
Según Caro, la emisión del decreto supremo se da por la alta demanda del producto por parte de los constructores y por los problemas de abastecimiento de cemento, hecho que provocó la paralización de varios proyectos de infraestructura. El producto será importado de Cementos Yura de Perú y será comercializado a un boliviano el kilogramo por la empresa descentralizada Insumos Bolivia.
La autoridad indicó que la bolsa de 50 kilos de cemento que vaya a ser comercializada al consumidor final tendrá un valor de 50 bolivianos.
La importación de este volumen se realizará este fin de semana y será monitoreado y controlado por las autoridades de Insumos Bolivia, explicó la Ministra de Planificación.
Esta medida para atenuar la alta demanda del cemento en el mercado interno se suma a las otras acciones asumidas por la Fábrica Nacional de Cemento SA (Fancesa) y la Sociedad Boliviana del Cemento (Soboce). En el caso de Fancesa, su presidente ejecutivo, Luis Iriarte, anunció que importarán 100.000 bolsas adicionales de cemento principalmente para el mercado cruceño, donde la demanda del producto creció en más del 30 por ciento. En tanto que la Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento determinó importar 20 mil toneladas de cemento de Perú, 30 mil toneladas de clínker de Chile y otras 20 mil toneladas de Corea.
Por su parte, el ministro de Obras Públicas ratificó el compromiso del Órgano Ejecutivo de impulsar la construcción de dos fábricas de cemento, uno en Oruro y otro en Potosí. Ambas comenzarán sus operaciones en un plazo no mayor a dos años, indicó.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

AFRICA: EA Cement Makers Want Higher Import Duty

Dar Es Salaam — The request for state governments within the East Africa region to introduce double tax duty on imported cement has hit a snag as the governments had turned a blind eye to the manufacturers appeal.

Cement imported from India, China and Pakistan into the East African Community (EAC) member states is hurting local manufacturers since it is sold at a very cheap price than the locally manufactured products.

The massive imports have had a major effect on Tanzania's cement industry, where two of the three companies had to suspend their operation last year while the other reduced production of cement after the storage facilities were full of cement.

Dumping of cheap imports in the East African market is posing a big blow to cement manufacturers especially at this time when the majority of them are expanding their businesses from local into international markets.
The Director of Policy and Advocacy with the Confederation of Tanzania Industries, Mr Hussein Kamote said last week that the Confederation had no problem with imported cement.

What we are pushing for is for the government to create a level playing field against subsidized cement products from Asian countries.

"Our cement producers are faced with high production costs resulting from high energy and labour costs, poor distribution networks, high transport costs and inadequate ancillary industries for spare parts and consumables which created an opportunity for cheap imports to make their way into the market," he said.

Tanga Cement, the Holcim Mauritius' cement plant recently released its financial results where it was indicated that revenues increased by 8 per cent in the half year period ending 30 June 2010-same as in the previous period.
However, its net profit after tax declined to 10.2bn/- from 12.8bn/- in the previous period, according to financial results released recently by Tanga Cement Company Limited. Revenues were 61bn/- an increase of 8 per cent when compared to the previous 56.3bn/-.

"Cement imports as well as stiff competition in the market continued to have a negative impact on prices and although sales volumes increased by 16 per cent, revenue increased by only 8 per cent," said Charles Naude, chairperson of the company.

Costs of sales increased to Tsh 38.1 billion (USD 25.06 million) from Tsh 32 billion (USD 21.05 million) mainly due to higher maintenance costs and the use of expensive imported clinker during the maintenance shut down in March and April 2010, Naude said in his statement.

CTI had already contacted the government concerning the issue, and it had promised to conduct its own research and issue a statement. Local cement producers wanted import duty doubled to discourage foreign dealers from selling their cement at cheap prices.

Under EAC Customs Union protocol 2005, cement was considered a sensitive product and the Common External Tariff (CET) was set at 55 per cent gradually reducing by 5 per cent every year capping it at 35 per cent.

He said that East African Community (EAC) finance ministers reduced Common External Tariff (CET) on cement from 40 to 25 per cent. The cement market in the country was flooded with imported cement from Pakistan and other Asian countries which are cheaper compared to the locally manufactured one.

A survey had established that imported cement is sold at between 10,000/- and 11,000/- per 50-kilo bag while locally produced cement is sold at between 12,000/- and 18,000/- per bag.

He said countries like Pakistan provides subsidy for cement producers while Tanzanian producers strive on their own. Available statistics show that Mbeya Cement Company produces more than 300,000 tonnes of cement annually, Tanga cement more than 800,000 tonnes and Twiga more than 1.4 million tonnes.

Total demand for cement in the country stood at an estimated 1.6 million tonnes per year. Local production stands at about 1.7 million tonnes. Tanzania is blessed with huge deposits of raw materials needed in cement production, which include limestone and gypsum.

AFRICA: Tanzania, Trading At DSE Continues to Tumble

Dar Es Salaam — Trading at the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) has continued to record low performance for the past one week amid high share demand but poor supply.

Trading index has remained glued at 1176.86 points and signs for improvement look bleak, at least for now. Financial experts argue that the negative trend has been contributed by a decision by big investors especially the pension scheme funds, corporate and banks not to sell their stocks as there is no guarantee to secure other products.

But employees, who have steady income have been spending their loans to buy goods like furniture, build residential houses and buy cars. This, according to the experts weakens their saving for future investments.
Rasilimali Limited Chief Executive Officer, Mr Arphaxad Masumbu, said that most investors who depend entirely on salary as their main source of income, show up during Initial Public Offer (IPO) to make quick profit rather than analyzing the bourse trend to make a long term gain.

"Most employees are spenders and they don't save money for investment. This could also be attributed by the fact that they end up in debts as a result of extravagant spending," Mr Masumbu told the 'Daily News' on Monday.
He said that workers are an important segment that could stimulate the bourse trading as business people do not want to invest through a third person. "In most cases, they invest on DSE once in a while", he said.
He said failure to analyze the market is another hindrance for local investors as at the moment. Latest reports from the bourse show that CRDB Bank shares which are at 12 per cent at the moment and sells at 110/-.
The share is expected to gain in the coming months as supply looks dwindling. The Dar es Salaam Community Bank (DCB) is another product with a high yield in near-term.

Its dividend is projected to double this year from 28/- as the bank's net profit is also estimated to improve tremendously. Last year DCB's dividend yield was 20 per cent.

"No other assets can give an investor such a yield and expect to rise in this year," Mr Masumbu said.
Orbit Securities Head of Operations and Dealing, Mr Juventus Simon said there is high demand of shares of CRDB, National Microfinance Bank (NMB), Swissport and cement factories but the supply is short.
A number of shares were not sold last week as there was no supply. "This signifies the share prices increment in near-term", Mr Simon said.

He said that the bourse yield is about 10 per cent per year compared to 7.04 per cent of one-year treasury bills auctioned mid this month.

For quite a long time now, investors have been buying when the share price drops but after analyzing the performance of the share-holding company. Yesterday, all shares index at DSE dropped slightly to 1176.69 points.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

BOLIVIA: Emitirán norma con precio tope para el cemento

Con el objetivo de frenar la escasez de cemento principalmente en Santa Cruz y La Paz, el Gobierno ultima detalles para aprobar un decreto supremo que regule precios “tope” para el consumidor final, según el diario cruceño El Deber. 

El proyecto está en la Unidad de Análisis de Políticas Sociales y Económicas y será remitido la próxima semana al gabinete ministerial, explicó ayer el viceministro de Derechos de los Usuarios y del Consumidor, Fernando Fuentes. “Este decreto busca equilibrar los precios evitando la especulación y garantizar la provisión de cemento. La norma hará mención a todo el mercado y se fijarán precios tope”. 

Pero la industria cementera está produciendo a plena capacidad. ¿Qué se puede hacer al respecto?, se le consultó al Viceministro, a lo que respondió: “Fancesa anunció que lanzará 100.000 bolsas de cemento para paliar la demanda en Santa Cruz; otra fábrica ampliará su planta y también importará clinker para aumentar su producción, por lo tanto también se trabaja en este aspecto. Además vamos a aplicar el artículo 226 del Código Penal, que tipifica al agio como un delito, es decir, se sancionará con seis meses a tres años de cárcel a los especuladores”. 

El precio normal del cemento es de 51,50 bolivianos por bolsa. Sin embargo, en los puntos de venta se lo comercializa hasta en 55 y 60 bolivianos. 

En esta situación, el lunes se reunieron representantes mexicanos del Grupo Cementos Chihuahua (GCC) con el Ministerio de Defensa Legal. No obstante, ninguna de las partes informó sobre las conclusiones del encuentro. Ayer se pudo conocer que los directivos de esta empresa extranjera se fueron a su país.

ESPAÑA: Los silos de cemento del puerto de Alicante desaparecerán

La empresa Colacem ha iniciado la construcción de dos nuevos silos de cemento en la zona de ampliación de Poniente del Puerto de Alicante 



Los cuatro silos de cemento que las empresas Colacem y Cemex mantienen en el muelle 14 del Puerto de Alicante, junto a la estación marítima de cruceros, desaparecerán de este emplazamiento para mediados del próximo año. Fuentes de la Autoridad Portuaria señalaron que en el mes de noviembre o primeros de diciembre la empresa Colacem comenzará el desmantelamiento de uno de los dos silos horizontales de su propiedad que aún mantienen la actividad de ensacado de cemento en este espacio portuario.
Seguirán así la medida que hace ahora poco menos de un año acometió la mercantil Holcim, que eliminó del muelle 14 el silo que mantenía activo. En la decisión de las mercantiles cementeras ha tenido mucho que ver la intervención del presidente de Puerto, Miguel Campoy, que desde el año pasado mantiene contactos con estas empresas para que se acelere la eliminación de esta actividad industrial, que se desarrolla a escasa distancia de la terminal de cruceros, y que se libere este espacio para la ciudad.
Sobre todo ante la salida del Puerto de Alicante de la nueva edición de la Volvo Ocean Race, que se celebrará en otoño del próximo año, Además, de esta manera la ciudad mejorará su imagen ante los miles de crucerista que hacen escala en las instalaciones portuarias.
El desmantelamiento de los silos horizontales se acometerá en paralelo a la puesta en funcionamiento de los polémicos silos verticales que las cementeras construyen en la zona de ampliación de Poniente, concretamente en los muelles 19 y 21. Construcciones de hormigón armado que inició el pasado mes de julio la empresa Cimsa con un silo de 36 metros que prácticamente esta acabado, y al que se suma otro más de la misma empresa cementera.
A estas instalaciones, que funcionarán en breve, hay que añadir las que también han previsto la mercantil Colacem, que desmantelará sus instalaciones del muelle 14 una vez entren en funcionamiento los tres silos que ha proyecto en la zona de ampliación del Puerto y que ha comenzado a construir , y los de las empresas Holcim y Cemex que prevén do silos cada una. Las nueve estructuras de hormigón que se levantarán en el Puerto tendrán una altura máxima de 36 metros tras el acuerdo alcanzado con las mercantiles por el presidente de la Autoridad Portuaria para que redujesen las alturas, que en algunos casos contemplaban hasta los 50 metros de alto.

MEXICO: Precios de cemento en México se redujeron en agosto: Banamex

La variación en el precio de las regiones fue mixta y en EU se regitró un ligero aumento.



Los precios del cemento al menudeo en México sufrieron una disminución de 0.4% mensual durante Agosto, informó el Grupo Financiero Banamex.



Según una encuesta del grupo bancario, los precios de la mayoría de los proveedores, incluidos Cemex, Cruz Azul y Apasco (Holcim), tuvieron una variación mensual de 0% a -1%.



La variación en el precio de las regiones fue mixta, dado que la Ciudad de México, Monterrey y Chihuahua experimentaron pequeños incrementos mensuales, mientras que Aguascalientes, Mérida y Guadalajara tuvieron ligeras caídas.

Estos datos son consistentes con el índice de precios al productor de agosto en México mostrando una disminución en el cementode 0.8% y un aumento de 0.2% mensual en el concreto.



A pesar de que el reporte indicó que el índice de precios al productor en Estados Unidos refleja un ligero incremento mensual encemento,  la tendencia de precios afecta la rentabilidad de Cemex.



La reciente debilidad en la actividad de construcción en EU hace que el apalancamiento operativo sea un factor igual de importante para la rentabilidad de Cemex; por eso, el crecimiento de 0.7% mensual toma relevancia en el grupo cementero.

Este ligero aumento difiere en números a la encuesta de agosto de Engineering News Record (ENR por sus siglas en inglés), realizada por MCGraw-Hill, en la que se mostró un incremento de 0.2%. 

No obstante, las variaciones son menores y, considerando que la encuesta está más sujeta a fluctuaciones de precios a lo largo del canal de distribución, el panorama es relativamente bueno en EU. 

AFRICA: Environmental feasibility study being carried out for second cement factory in Matola, Mozambique

The project to set up a second cement factory in the industrial area of the municipality of Matola in Mozambique is now at the stage of a environmental feasibility study being carried out, said the mayor of the Matola municipal council.

According to Mozambican newspaper O País, Arão Nhancale also said that the group of Mozambican business people that would finance the project had already started importing the equipment needed at the future factory.

“It is a factory whose equipment will be driven by mills, or rather, it will operate like a milling company and will not pollute the environment," the mayor said.

Nhancale, who was speaking on leaving the Matola Business Forum, also said that the project would be of advantage to the market as it would reduce the price of cement in Mozambique.

Alongside the second cement factory in Matola, there are also projects for the districts of Matutuíne and Magude, also in Maputo province, with the Magude project involving Chinese investment.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

CHINA: Xinjiang Tianshan Cement invest 8 cement production lines

Xinjiang Tianshan Cement and its subsidiaries plan to build 8 cement production lines with a total annual capacity of 13.01 million tonnes of cement throughout Xinjiang province. The total investment of the 8 production lines is expected to reach CNY 4.521 billion.

According to the Xinjiang Tianshan Cement, constructing additional production lines will help the company expand its market share, lower cost and improve economies of scale.

China Merchants Securities predicts that the earnings per share of Xinjiang Tianshan Cement will reach CNY 1.16, CNY 1.74 and CNY 2.15 in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.

INDIA: Metro rail project boost cement

The revival of the Hyderabad metro rail project is seen as a boost for cement and steel companies, which now have started coming out of the recession and the subsequent lack of demand from the real estate sector. The two industries are banking on the infrastructure segment for growth.

According to officials, the Rs 12,132-crore metro rail project would require about 2.6 million tonne cement, 2,17,000 tonne of steel and 5.8 million cubic metre concrete. This will translate into 52.31 million bags of cement. The average price of each bag (50 kg) is about Rs 200.

Pillars would come up every 30 meter along the 71-km route. In all, 66 station will come up for the metro project. Civil and engineering works will account for at least 40 per cent of the project cost.


The project, which would take five years for completion, would create jobs for about 20,000 labourers and another 5,000 skilled engineers.

“Cement consumption will be massive. Many ancillary industries and machinery manufacturing and servicing units will come up around Hyderabad,” said Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited managing director NVS Reddy.

The metro rail will come up on three high-density traffic corridors — Miyapur-LB Nagar (28.87 km), JBS-Falaknuma (14.78 km) and Nagole-Shilparamam (27.51 km).

Property development at the three depots spread across 212 acre will also spur the demand for cement and steel.
According to estimates, the three corridors would need about 8.77 million bags of cements while depots would require about 13.85 million bags and stations 7.19 million bags. The parking and circulation area would require 22.5 million bags.
Likewise, 1,12,500 tonne steel would be needed for the corridors, 33,000 tonne for the depots, 17,200 tonne for the stations and 54,000 tonne for parking and circulation. This apart, 600,000 tonne cement will be used for creating the rail corridors.

According to Ramesh Chandro, managing director of Bheema Cements, the metro rail project will trigger cement consumption in Hyderabad.

At present, the city consumes 400,000-450,000 tonne of cement per month. The metro rail project alone will mean an additional cement production of about 1.5 to 2 million tonne per annum during the project duration.

The demand for steel had been sluggish in the city for the last two years due to the economic slowdown and recently due to agitations for and against Telangana. The metro rail project would trigger the demand, said RK Birla, managing director of Sujana Metal Products, adding the company had launched a new product for bigger projects.

“It is too early to say what is in store for us. But we are optimistic of some good opportunities,” he said.

Anand Reddy, managing industries of Pennar Industries, which makes coach profiles among others, said the metro project would be a major opportunity.

“We expect to see some demand for crash guards, stainless and mild steel coach profiles once the designs are on the table,” he said.

Pennar is also working with BEML for coaches.

NICARAGUA: Accident at Cemex plant

 Three workers trapped inside an underground plaster silo at a cement plant in northwestern Nicaragua were rescued safe and sound, authorities said.

It took nearly 10 hours to extract the workers, fire department Maj. Felix Tellez told reporters at the Cemex company’s facility in San Rafael del Sur, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Managua.

The drama began late Saturday, when employee Milton Delgado accidentally fell into the silo, roughly 15 meters (49 feet) below ground, Tellez said.

Co-workers Rudy Cabrera and Eduardo Mercado tried to help Delgado, but instead wound up trapped along with him.

Rescuers managed to get liquids and oxygen to the trapped workers as they waited to be dug out, Tellez said.

Delgado, Cabrera and Mercado were listed in stable condition at the Military Hospital in Managua, the Red Cross said.

Authorities are investigating to determine whether negligence or failure to comply with safety regulations may have played a part in the accident.

The Nicaraguan unit of Mexican-based Cemex, the world’s No. 3 cement maker, has not provided any details on the incident.

EGYPT: Cement factories to be relocate

CAIRO: Starting next year, Egypt will embark on a relocation project which should eventually see cement factories moved out of the Helwan governorate.

Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid approved last week licenses awarded for the project, which is billed as the solution to pollution problems attributed to the location of a number of cement factories in the area, which has a high population density.

The aggregate relocation costs for all cement factories in Helwan are estimated at LE 40 billion: LE 17 billion for Suez Cement, LE 7 billion for National Cement and LE 16 billion for other cement factories, according to the Industrial Development Authority (IDA).

The first phase of the relocation project will begin in 2011 and last for four years, and the second phase will begin in 2015.

Amr Assal, head of the Industrial Development Authority, said that the first phase would begin with the decommissioning of 13 production lines that were either out of order or where the technology is outdated.

According to a statement on their website, by the completion of the first phase, production capacity of the relocated plants will increase to 2 million tons, after the addition of 900,000 tons to the current capacity of 1.1 million tons.

Rachid said that Egypt plans to increase the production and supply of cement in the domestic market and to increase competition in the sector. These developments are crucial in meeting increasing demand brought about by the expanding urban development plans, construction and infrastructure projects.

The move is part of a plan to bolster Egypt's total cement production to 77 million tons by 2015, up from 56 million tons this year. According to ministry, production will reach 62 million tones after the introduction of four new cement plants next year.

The relocation plan, Rachid said, will free up 500,000 square meters that can be allocated for projects in any sector except industrial. It will also reduce environmental pollution in the greater Helwan area by 40 percent.

Lama Al Hatow, a sustainable development PhD candidate from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, pointed out the positive aspects of the move. “Suspended Particle Matter (SPM), very fine dust-like particles emanating from the factories,” are hazardous to health and cause respiratory problems, she said. 

Although the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) stipulate that filters be placed on cement plant incinerators, it is difficult to determine whether the regulations are followed. General speaking, she added, industrial areas should be located as far away from residential areas as possible.


“Industrial activity, particularly cement factories, require large amounts of energy and water, straining the resources of these residential areas,” she added.

“Now, it is important to ask where the government is relocating these factories and where they are getting their utility connections from, if they claim to be moving them so far away from residential zones,” she said.

The license for the first phase was awarded after the minister approved recommendations made by the committee responsible for industrial cement licenses to reassign one of the licenses initially awarded to the El Wadi Cement and North Sinai Cement companies whose licenses had been revoked.

Reuters reported Sunday that the IDA has changed the location for a reissued cement license to help attract investor interest, after the license was scrapped twice, re-opening the bidding for two cement licenses previously held by El Wadi Cement and North Sinai Cement after the firms had permits withdrawn in November over start-up delays and financing shortfalls, but closed the bid without interest from investors.

Last week, the IDA offered one of those licenses to Helwan Cement, majority owned by Egypt's biggest listed cement maker, Suez Cement group, to relocate some of its 1.1 million tons of production capacity.

Assal told Reuters the 2007 bidders would be allowed to apply in a bid to start in October, but did not specify the exact location of the license.

Requirements for new licenses to build cement plants include getting the approvals from the EEAA and building the plants in a location outside the scope of the governorates of Greater Cairo, Delta, Alexandria and Port Said, Ismailia and South Sinai, Hurghada, Luxor and Sohag.

Cement companies will be allowed to bid for the new license in October when the government will accept any bid higher than the bidding price declared on October 28, 2007 plus interest at a discount rate announced by the Central Bank of Egypt.

Monday, September 20, 2010

PHILIPPINES: Holcim Philippines Appoints Carat

Holcim Philippines Inc., the country’s leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Carat Philippines to take charge of maximizing their media budget with emphasis on planning and efficient buying.

Holcim established its presence in the Philippines cement industry in 1974 and is engaged in the manufacture, sale and distribution of cement and clinker, as well as concrete and construction related products.  Nationwide the company is powered by a strong workforce that forms part of their global network, as well as a worldwide resource of innovative minds.

Holcim products match the demands of engineers, architects and even homeowners.  It is crucial therefore that they are well informed about the key advantages and benefits of their products.

According to Mino Espartero, Holcim’s Head of Marketing, “The expectation is to have a check and balance within our planning process, a third party point of view of the programs of the group, which includes us and our creative agency. This is the reason why we have selected a true independent media agency.”

“The communication directions of the brand are substantially different from regular consumer brands.  We look forward to this challenge as it will allow us to expand our media choices and learn how to maximize them,” said Mike Ochosa, Managing Director, Carat Philippines.

EGYPT: LE40 billion to relocate Helwan factories


The relocation of Helwan's environmentally polluting factories will cost LE40 billion, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry's Industrial Development Authority (IDA). Due to the high cost, the IDA has decided that the relocation will be carried out in a series of phases beginning in 2011. IDA head Amr Asal told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the government will begin phase two of the relocation plan in 2015 as phase one is expected to take four years.
According to the IDA, the cost of relocation is made up of LE17 billion for the Suez Cement Factories, LE7 billion for the National Cement Factories, and LE16 billion for the remaining environmentally polluting factories in the area. Costs include infrastructure for the new factories, as well as transport and housing for the workers.  
Asal said the Suez Cement Factory agreed to transfer 11 wet process production lines, which have a production capacity of one million tons from its Helwan factories. He said these lines would be added to a new warrant for the factory issued by the Ministry of Industry which would allocate a production capacity of 900 thousand tons, bringing the total production capacity of the factory to two million tons.
Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid said on Wednesday that he would allocate one of the two recently withdrawn warrants from al-Wadi al-Gadid and North Sinai to an undisclosed cement factory in Helwan. He added that the new warrant would contribute to the provision of 500 thousand square meters of land as well as clearing an area along the Nile for non-industrial uses. He also said this would decrease environmental pollution in Helwan by 40 percent.   
Asal said the Suez Cement Factory would pay for the additional allocated production capacity by calculating the increase from 2007 which is estimated at 1.1 billion tons at a cost of LE200 million.
According to IDA estimates, this consent will reduce Suez Cement's production capacity by 22 percent, from 7.3 million to 6.2 million tons. According to Asal, most of this production utilizes the wet process which is the main culprit behind the environmental pollution that has been affecting the Nile region.
Asal said the government has agreed to extend the utilization of cement factories operating in the Helwan quarries up until 2015 if they agree to the relocation plan. He said the government would not grant an extension to the National Cement Factories' quarry agreement which is due to expire in 2011 unless it consents to the first phase of production line relocation
Asal also pointed out that the first phase of relocation would include the abolition of 13 wet process production lines from the Suez and National Cement Factories which were rendered inoperative, and had been using outdated technologies.