INDIA: Buy Ambuja Cements; target of Rs 137: KRChoksey

KRChoksey is bullish on Ambuja Cements and has recommended buy rating on the stock with a target of Rs 137 in its June 21, 2011 research report.

“Ambuja Cement Ltd net revenues stood at Rs 2207 crore, a growth of 10.9% y-o-y from Rs 1990 crore in Q1CY10 and a growth of 23.4% on a q-o-q basis. Dispatch for the quarter were 5.64 mn tonnes from 5.28 mn tonnes a year ago, an increase of 6.8% y-o-y and an increase of 12.8% on q-o-q basis. The growth in top-line was mainly driven by the concentrated efforts of cement players, wherein the net realizations for Ambuja Cement increased to ~Rs 196/bag, a growth of 9.4% and 3.8% on a q-o-q and y-o-y basis respectively and an average growth in dispatches. We believe that the cement prices are closer to peak levels after the recent hikes that happened in the start of April, reason being that the new capacity addition of ~28 Million tonnes in FY11.”

“Ambuja Cement per tonne realization improved 9.4% on a q-o-q basis & 3.8% on a y-o-y basis to Rs 3913/tonne. The EBIDTA/tonne improved significantly on a q-o-q basis to Rs 1112/tonne an increase of 57% compared to the last quarter, mainly on back of a higher in realization. However the EBIDTA/tonne on a y-o-y basis declined by ~ 10%, mainly because of increase in power and fuel costs which was driven by an increase in coal prices. It is important to note that Ambuja Cement commissioned its clinker plant in H2CY10 yet the EBIDTA/ton on a y-o-y basis has declined. On a consolidated results the EBIDTA margins for Q1CY11 was at 28.4% v/s 32.7 % last year and 19.8 % in the last quarter (Q4CY10).”

“Power & fuel cost increased by 36% to Rs 481.6 crore v/s Rs 355.2 crore, last year. The main reason for the increase in power & fuel cost was higher clinker production, as the new clinker unit commenced production in the second half of CY10 and partly because of the increase in coal costs. Imported coal costs have increased to ~$140/tonne v/s $ 110/tonne last year and domestic coal prices for grade “A” and grade “B” coal have increased by ~150% since Coal India increased the prices for the non-core sector. Distribution expenses increased by 23.4% y-o-y to Rs 508.6 crore v/s Rs 412.2 crore last year, the main reason for increase in freight cost was the increase in diesel prices. The only positive on the cost front has been the decrease in raw material costs to Rs 144.6 crore a decline of 21.1% on yearly basis as company didn’t have to procure the clinker from outside sources as clinker unit that was commissioned in H2CY10 came to the rescue.”

“Ambuja Cement is being priced at a premium to its other large cap peers like ACC and Ultratech Cement, mainly because of its better operating performance, strong balance sheet, and better margins. We believe that the valuation premium that Ambuja Cement has been getting compared to its peers to narrow down in the future as the price discipline in the cement industry is being followed quiet systematically including the southern markets. At CMP of Rs 125.5 the stock is available at EV/EBIDTA of8.6x and EV/Ton of $140 it’s CY11E, we believe that Ambuja Cement at current price is reasonably valued and assign an EV/EBIDTA of 9, with a target price of Rs 137,” says KRChoksey research report.

CHINA: Cement producers and developers lead Shanghai shares up.

SHANGHAI'S key stock index rose for the first time in five days, led by cement producers and property developers. 

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.96 percent to 2,646.48 points. Turnover rose to 74.1 billion yuan (US$ 11.5 billion) from yesterday's 66 billion yuan.

Property developers extended previous gains on news that the State Council has allowed companies and financial services firms to issue corporate bonds to raise funds for building affordable homes. China Merchants Property Development Co climbed 1.7 percent to 17.24 yuan. Poly Real Estate Co rose 1 percent to 10.53 yuan.

Cement producers rallied on speculation that demand will increase as more affordable homes projects were started. Anhui Conch Co jumped 4.3 percent to 26.31 yuan. Guangdong Tapai Group Co climbed 5.7 percent to 10.04 yuan.

Coal miners rose on news that an energy industry area of 133,800 square kilometers will be built in China's western provinces rousing speculation for more investment in the sector. China Shenhua Energy Co rose 0.7 percent to 28.20 yuan. Shanxi Xishan Coal and Electricity Power Co rose 0.7 percent to 22.79 yuan.

AFRICA: TANZANIA: Fued halts cement firm's expansion

The Tanzania Portland Cement Company (TPCC) has suspended its expansion plans.

It says it has done so following a decade-long dispute with illegal miners at Wazo Hill in Dar es Salaam.

The TPCC director for human resources and executive affairs, Ms Jayne Nyimbo Taylor, said 170 miners and other people, who invaded Cha Simba Village since 2002, had continuously been encroaching on the company’s area.

They have been building houses and some have been mining stones.

She also said such people had been acting violently and the company’s security guards had been assaulted.

“Just last Sunday, one of our security guards was killed as he was trying to chase the invaders from our quarry land…this has caused the investor to stop the investment plan to add the fifth cement production plant, which could be the largest, due to the situation,” she said.

The company, which trades as Twiga, recently brought its annual production capacity to 1.4 million tonnes of cement and it employs about 800 direct and indirect workers.

The row dates from 2007 when the High Court ruled the case in favour of the TPCC and appointed Gemaco Auction Mart as the decree holder. 

However, court broker Enock Mwakassala said until now he had failed to execute the eviction exercise because he did not get cooperation from police or any other law enforcers for supervision.

Ms Taylor told The Citizen that the management had informed the company’s board chairman that without the government intervention and bringing the matter to a rapid end, the company would close down business for security reasons.

“We appealed to the government to assist us to evict these people but all it says is that it is securing an area in Kibaha to relocate them…but this is taking long and we are getting loss.”

TPCC health, security and safety manager Alfred Anthony said the plans to close the factory would be also in line with international mining laws, which stipulate that residential areas be 500 metres away from the mining area.

However, Mr Anthony said permanent houses had been built within 100 metres from the mining site.

“This is very dangerous for them since they risk being hit by stones during our operations or they could be buried under the pits during quarrying,” he warned.

AZERBAIJAM: Construction contractor to organize power supply for largest cement plant

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Norm LLC invites construction contractors to bid for organization of electric supply of plant Qizildas Sement within the construction of the region’s largest cement plant in the region.

According to Norm LLC, the tender consists of 2 lots – equipment supply for upgrade of the Sangachal Substation – its capacity increase up to 200 MVA; engineering, design , procurement, construction and commissioning of gas insulated switchgear systems of transformers by 50 MVA.

The applicants must have at least AZN 10 million of turnover for the last 3 years and working capital of at least 3 million manat. Registration of bidders will last till 5 July, and bids are accepted until 6 pm 25 July in the office of Norm LLC on the 7th floor of the Bridge Plaza in Baku.

EEUU: Drake Cement Plant opens

For the first time in 50 years, a new cement plant will open in Arizona. After nearly 10 years of planning and construction the $300 million Dark Cement Plant, located at the site of the old rail siding of Drake, approximately 10 miles north of Paulden, will host its grand opening today.

The plant, which employs the latest environmental and energy technology, is capable of producing 660,000 tons of portland cement a year.

At its peak, nearly 600 workers were employed constructing the facility. Once up and operating at capacity it will employ approximately 100 workers.

Drake Cement also has a sister company, Drake Materials, a redimix company that had previously purchased the assets of Maricopa Redi Mix and Sunshine Redi Mix a ready mix concrete supplier. Both companies are headquartered in Scottsdale. 

Both companies are subsidiaries of Cementos Lima, the largest cement company in Peru. 

The last cement plant built in Arizona was the Phoenix Cement Plant in Clarkdale, built in 1959.

CHINA: Cement price in China up by 14pct in first 5 Months

It is reported that across China, the price of ordinary Portland cement 42.5 grew 13.6%YoY to CNY 420 per ton in the first five months of 2011, of which the price in eastern China posted the highest growth rate of 44.9%. Cement production nationwide volume grew 19% last month.

Demand for cement is mainly dependent on the real estate industry. According to China National Bureau of Statistics, investment in the real estate industry grew 34.6%YoY to CNY 187 million in the first five months of which residential property investment was CNY 133 million up 37.8%YoY.

Mr Liu Zuoyi Digital Cement chief executive was quoted as saying that cement prices are pulled upward by demand as well as the development of large cement enterprises.

In recent years, the cement industry has been highly concentrated. Cement production capacity of the 20 largest cement producers in China increased from 40 million tons in 2001 to 640 million tons last year

.

INDIA: Wonder Cement scouts for creative partner

The R K Marble-promoted cement brand has called for a pitch that includes six creative agencies, including three local agencies based in Rajasthan, as well as Ignite Mudra, Cheil and the Percept-promoted IBD.

The Rajasthan-based R K Marble-promoted cement brand Wonder Cement, is on the lookout for a creative partner. The company has called for a pitch that includes six creative agencies -- of which, three are local agencies based in Rajasthan, besides Ignite Mudra, Cheil Worldwide and the Percept Hakuhodo-promoted IBD.

The size of the account is estimated at Rs 6-10 crore.

The development has been confirmed by reliable sources in the industry, who say that the company is looking for an appropriate look as it plans to launch the cement brand on a national scale.

This is the first time that the company has called for a creative pitch.

According to recent media reports, R K Marbles was in talks with the Swiss cement manufacturing giant Holcim AG to sell off its stake. However, the plan has been put on hold for the time being; rather, the company plans to start a new cement factory in the Chittorgarh region of Rajasthan.

For the record, the R K Marble Group was established in 1989 by the Patni group, to meet the increasing national and international demand for Indian marble. The company, Wonder Cement, set up its cement plant at Nimbahera in Rajasthan, with a capacity of 2.5-3 million tonne per annum, and limestone reserves.

AFRICA: Price of cement drops in Benue

The price of Dangote Portland cement in Benue has gone down from N2,600 to N2,250, while Bua cement has also gone down from N2,700 to N2,250. The drop in the prices of the product became necessary as a result of the Federal Government's ultimatum to cement companies to cut down their prices. Ejike Okafor, a dealer,

said that the cost of manufacturing the product was still very high but that companies had opted to cut down their prices in line with government's order. Okafor said that the cost of transporting the product from the factories to warehouses was still high.

Another dealer, Veronica Nwabueze, blamed the high prices of cement on the high cost of diesel. ``Cement companies use diesel in their production machines and it is also used by the articulated vehicles that transport the product to dealers," Nwabueze said. Timothy Gbin, a trader, urged the Federal Government to prevail on the oil companies to cut down the prices of their products. ``If that is done, the cost of producing and transporting the product would be drastically reduced.

When that happens, the product would be sold to end users at cheap and affordable rates," Gbin said. Malam Adamu Idris, owner of a block industry in the state, said that the high cost of cement had compelled him to increase the price of blocks in order to make profit. (NAN)

AFRICA: NIGERIA: Lafarge to double production with new cement plant in August

As part of plans to meet the demand of both local and foreign customers for cement, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria says it is set to double its production capacity in August with the commissioning of a new cement factory in Ewekoro, Ogun state.

Announcing this during a media tour of the new cement factory in Ewekoro, recently, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Samy Abdelkader said with work approaching completion at the new cement plant, the plant is expected to double the current production capacity of the company with 2.5 million tones when it commences production in August.

He said that the new plant is Lafarge’s own way of responding to the federal government’s backward integration policy which aims at self-sufficiency in cement production.

According to him, the 2.5 million tones of cement addition to Lafarge Cement WAPCO would go along way in achieving an appreciable stability in the nation’s cement sub-sector and that the availability will in the long run impact positively on the affordability on the side of the customers.

With this development, he explained that Lafarge Cement WAPCO will be contributing about 12,000 tones of cement to the Nigeria cement market on a daily basis, after the commissioning of the Lakatabu plant in August, adding that the new plant would be a further testimony to the company’s leadership in innovation, as it has the capacity to produce four different qualities of cement to customers requirement better.

In line with the company’s commitment in engaging young Nigerians in gainful employment, Abdelkader said over 3000 people were engaged during the two-and-half years of building the state of the art plant with 70 per cent of them being Nigeria.

AFRICA: Sinai Cement first-quarter profit falls 25 pct

Egypt's Sinai Cement posted a 25 percent fall in first-quarter unconsolidated net profit to 116.9 million Egyptian pounds ($19.66 million), the stock exchange said on Sunday.

The firm made an unconsolidated net profit of 155.3 million pounds for the same period in 2010.

Shares in Sinai Cement, the local unit of France's Vicat , closed 0.6 percent higher at 48.02 pounds before the results release. The benchmark index closed up 1.6 percent. (Reporting by Sarah Mikhail. Editing by Jane Merriman) ($1=5.947 Egyptian Pound)

CHINA: Holcim Monitoring Consolidation in Chinese Cement Market

Holcim Ltd. (HOLN), the world’s second- largest cement maker, is monitoring merger and acquisition opportunities in China with a view to building a base for expansion there, Chairman Rolf Soiron said today.

The Chinese government acknowledges that consolidation in its cement industry is necessary and Holcim is among the companies approved to take part, Soiron said in a presentation in Geneva. Challenges there include managing margins and hiring, he said.

“As long as we are not totally sure that we control our destiny there, we are going to be careful in this,” Soiron said today at a British Swiss Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Geneva. He added that some decisions about Holcim’s future will fall to his successor given he plans to step down in a couple of years.

Holcim is increasing capacity in India and Soiron said today Brazil is another market where the company needs to expand in. Jona, Switzerland-based Holcim last month reported a first- quarter net income of 10 million francs ($12 million), while cement deliveries rose 7.2 percent, led by the Asia Pacific region.

The cement maker is expanding capacity in India as the country’s rising population spurs spending on housing, roads, ports and bridges. Holcim expects construction in mature markets to recover and the growth in emerging markets to continue.

Soiron, who has served as chairman of the Jona, Switzerland-based company since 2003, said he expects to step down in a “couple of years.”

“In 10 years, our successors will know how the risks in China have evolved and let them then take the decisions,” said Soiron. “The important point is that we have a bridgehead.”

“I’m not going to be an eternal chairman at all,” he said, adding that he believes he knows who his successor will be. Soiron didn’t name or comment any further on his replacement.

INDIA:South India’s cement industry should explore export opportunities: IIFL

The current demand-supply situation in south India region mirrors the conditions in Turkey during 2006-2009.

IIFL Institutional Equities, a part of the IIFL Group, one of the leading players in the Indian financial services space, believes that an increase in exports will be the key for south India’s cement industry’s volume growth in the medium term, given the dwindling demand in the domestic market.

"The south region’s export volume was a mere 0.1 million ton in FY11 despite a capacity surplus of 30 mtpa. Demand in the south is declining and there is poor visibility of an improvement in the near term," IIFL says.

"The current demand-supply situation in south India region mirrors the conditions in Turkey during 2006-2009. To allay the negative impact of stagnant domestic consumption, Turkey’s cement industry increased export volumes from 8 million tons in 2007 to 18 million tons in 2009 (key export markets too were experiencing an unfavourable demand-supply situation for producers) and is the world’s largest cement exporter now," the report said.

"Ports in south India are increasing handling capacities (Krishnapatnam port handled 16 million tons in FY11 against a target of 35 million tons, and capacity will increase to 45 million tons in by next year). We believe that an increase in exports will be the key for south India’s cement industry’s volume growth in the medium term, given the dwindling demand in the domestic market," the report added.

IRAQ: Iraq’s cabinet approves $692m cement factory

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s cabinet has approved a $692 million contract for the construction of a cement factory in southern Iraq, a government official said.

The factory will be built in Diwaniya province, 150 km south of Baghdad, and will cover an area of about 185 acres, according to a statement from the office of government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh.

The contract was awarded to a joint venture group consisting of an Iraqi company and an Italian firm, the statement said. Officials declined to give further details.

“(The cabinet) has given approval to award an investment licence to erect a cement factory in Diwaniya province to a (local) firm which is in a joint venture with an Italian firm for a total value of $692 million,” the statement said.

Iraq has some of the world’s largest oil reserves and is opening itself up to foreign investors to help it rebuild after decades of war and economic isolation.

The government has set a target of $30 billion for total investment this year, mostly in energy, housing and agriculture.

The National Investment Commission has previously put together an investment plan of 750 projects valued at $600 billion to rebuild Iraq. Its five-year plan totals $186 billion, of which $86 billion is to come from foreign and local private investment.

AFRICA: GHANA: Artificial cement shortage hits Kumasi

THE PRICE of cement has, over the few past weeks, soared in the Ashanti Region, following a seeming scarcity of the commodity, ostensibly being created artificially, thus forcing some distribution outlets to close down temporarily though. 

This situation seems to be the case across the country, according to The Chronicle information, which has compelled most of key distributors of the commodity in Kumasi to throng the Ghana Cement Company (Ghacem) premises in Accra. 

Ghana Cement Company sources say it had not increased price (about GH¢10.35) of the commodity, and explained the current situation as being the consequences of power outages they experienced recently. 

According Dr. Dawson-Amoah, Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem, production would soon normalise with an improvement in supply of electricity. 

According to him, the situation had arisen out of the huge backlog of supply, and hoped the company would resume its average production levels if electricity supply is guaranteed. 

Ghana's cement supply is done by two main cement manufacturers, Ghacem and Diamond Cement, and other sources. 

A bag of cement, which hitherto sold between GH¢12.50 and GH¢13.00, is now selling between GH¢15.00 and GH¢16.00, and it is feared that the price could go to about GH¢20.00 soon, if nothing is done about the situation. 

Local distributors have collaborated Ghacem sources that prices had not been increased by the cement producers, but the situation is that they are procuring the commodity from middlemen at GH¢14.00 a bag before it gets to the region. 

The distributors are grieving over why they are facing shortages at a time (June/July) when the commodity should rather be in abundance, and suspect it is artificially being created for an agenda. 

One would have to buy the commodity from other distributors, who might have also procured it from fellow distributors, at an added cost, before it finally gets to the consumer. 

It is likely that the price of cement in the northern parts of the country would further be hiked, following added cost in transporting the commodity to the area. 

Nana Owusu Ansah, proprietor of Nana Owusu Ansah and Sons Company Limited and Chairman of the Local Cement distributors, who had just returned from Accra when The Chronicle called, says the situation had persisted over the past one month. 

A representative of Kwasi Oppong Company Limited, a major cement distributor in Kumasi, was in Accra, apparently to sort out things with the manufacturers 

A check at Eno Mma Company Limited, a local distributor, indicated that a bag of cement sells at GH¢13.50, even though there has been none in stock for sometime time now. 

Sources at Nana Kwadwo Gyasi Company Limited, J. K.O. Ansah Enterprise and Kwadwo Abora Company Limited, all dealers in cement and building materials, were tipped over the situation. 

Meanwhile, dealers in building materials also have to contend with increase in prices of iron rods. 

A tonne of iron rod, which sold at GH¢1,000 in January this year, is now selling at GH¢1,472.00, according to the price list of the Tema Steel Company Limited, the biggest steel company in Ghana. 

A local iron rod dealer told The Chronicle that he is compelled to distribute the item at about GH¢1,650. 

The steel companies are citing the same reason – power fluctuations – for the hike.

EEUU: New cement plant aims to wait out down market

A $300 million new cement plant, the first in Arizona in more than 50 years, is celebrating operations today north of Prescott as it prepares to ramp up production when the economy rebounds.

The Drake Cement plant near Paulden began operating earlier this year and has been working the bugs out of its new system, said Brad Belt, senior vice president.

Drake acquired three suppliers in the region and branded them Drake Materials, offering an outlet for its cement.

The plant does not make bagged cement for small home projects, opting to sell its product by the truckload, 27 tons at a time.

Drake's customers add water and rock aggregates to make concrete, concrete block, concrete roof tiles or other construction-project products.

The plant has been in the works since the 1990s and beat out competitor Cemex in opening a new Arizona cement plant. Cemex has proposed a $400 million new plant near Seligman.

Arizona has just two other operating cement plants, the Phoenix Cement Plant in Clarkdale, built in 1959, and the older CalPortland Rillito Plant near Tucson, both of which have expanded over the years, according to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

"We have been doing a small amount of business for a few customers, primarily for our sister company, Drake Materials, a midsized entity with operations in Phoenix, Mohave County and the Las Vegas area," Belt said.

Drake has offices in Scottsdale and is owned by an American holding company whose primary owners are from Peru, where they own two large cement companies, he added.

The slow economy has meant less demand for cement in the Southwest, but Belt said the new facility is poised to capture a significant market share once building resumes.

Cement plants are most efficient when they run 24 hours a day, all year long, but there isn't enough demand now for that kind of output from Drake, Belt said.

At full capacity, the plant annually can make 660,000 tons of clinker, the term for unground cement in the form of small lumps a few centimeters in diameter.

The plant will need 100 employees to operate at that capacity. Drake now has about 55 employees at the plant and about 10 in Scottsdale.

"The market is very difficult," Belt said. "There is not enough demand for any producer in the state to be running 24 hours a day. In these markets, we run the plant as long as we can until our storage capacity is full, and then shut down and fire up again when it is time to replenish."

The plant has a quarry about a quarter-mile away that supplies it with limestone and silica. It imports coal from southwestern Colorado to fuel the plant. It has a rail connecting it to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

Unlike a coal-fired power plant, the cement plant doesn't have coal-ash waste because the ash is incorporated into the cement, Belt said.

IRAN: Iran cement production capacity to rise 9.5m tons

Some 9.5 million tons will be added to Iran’s cement production capacity by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2012). 

Iran’s current annual cement output capacity stands at 72 million tons, IRNA reported. 

The United States Geological Surveys (USGS) in its new annual report titled “Mineral Commodity Summaries 2011” named Iran as the seventh largest cement producer on the world in 2010. 

The USGS is a science organization of the United States government that provides impartial, timely, relevant, and useable information on the issues such as ecosystems, environment, natural hazards and the natural resources. 

USGS in its new report stated that in 2010 Iran’s cement production rose up 5 million tons (9%) and reached to 55 million tons. Therefore, Iran became the seventh largest cement producer in the world and the second largest in the Middle East after Turkey. Iran’s cement production in 2009 was 50 million tons. 

There are 57 active cement production units in Iran as of 2010. Iran constitutes 1.7% of the world’s cement production according to figures of USGS.

AFRICA: Ascom, Citadel, Maridive, Suez Cement: Egypt Equity Preview

The following companies may be active in Egypt’s stock market. Symbols are in parentheses and prices are from the last close.

The benchmark EGX 30 Index declined 0.3 percent to 5,541.64 in Cairo.

Asec Co. for Mining (ASCM EY): The unit of private equity firm Citadel Capital SAE, also known as Ascom, posted a first- quarter loss of 17.8 million Egyptian pounds ($3 million) after a 6.49 million-pound profit a year-earlier. The shares rose 0.8 percent to 11.98 pounds.

Citadel Capital SAE (CCAP EY): Abraaj Capital Ltd., a Dubai-based private-equity firm, may hire Morgan Stanley as an adviser on the planned acquisition of a stake in the Egyptian private-equity company, two people familiar with the situation said June 16.

Citadel Capital Partners, the main shareholder in Citadel Capital, may hire Citigroup Inc. to advise on the possible sale, the two people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the talks are private. One person said Abraaj is seeking a controlling stake in Citadel. The shares lost 1.3 percent to 6.08 pounds.

Morgan Stanley officials weren’t immediately available to comment. Officials from Citigroup and Citadel Capital declined to comment. None of the officials would be identified, citing internal policy.

Maridive & Oil Services SAE (MOIL) : The Cairo-based marine and oil-support-service company will receive five vessels before the end of this year costing $100 million, Al Alam Al Youmreported, citing Chief Financial Officer Emad Fawzi. The shares fell 1.6 percent to $3.62.

Remco for Touristic Villages (RTVC EY) The Egyptian resorts developer had a first-quarter loss of 30.4 million Egyptian pounds after a 49.7 million-pound profit a year-earlier. The shares were unchanged at 3.19 pounds.

Suez Cement (SUCE) : Egypt’s biggest producer of the building material was cut to “sell” from “neutral” and had its 12-month share-price estimate set at 32 pounds at Cairo- based investment bank EFG-Hermes Holding SAE. The shares retreated 0.3 percent to 39.87 pounds.

VENEZUELA: Constructores piden la importación masiva de cabilla y cemento

Juan Francisco Jiménez, presidente de la Cámara Venezolana de la Construcción, dijo que para el sector la crisis eléctrica ha sido fundamental pues las industrias de cemento y cabillas han mermado la producción, por lo que pide un plan de emergencia para traer del extranjero ambos insumos.

“Si bien es cierto que en una obra de construcción estamos acostumbrados a trabajar con fuentes de energía alterna, estamos muy preocupados por lo que es la producción de insumos; tenemos experiencias recientes de que los primeros recortes son en la industria de acero y de cemento que son grandes consumidoras de electricidad, lo que en gran parte ocasionó todo el problema de la escasez”, advierte.

Reitera que la escasez y la especulación han afectado severamente la fabricación de nuevas viviendas. “La escasez de cabilla y de cemento no sólo se mantiene sino que está agravada, hacemos un llamado al gobierno para que no descuide el tema de la producción de cabilla y cemento y organice la importación de cien mil toneladas de cabilla y el doble de toneladas de cemento para abastecer el mercado de manera inmediata y urgente”.

“Es importante que no haya más escasez porque el tema de la escasez y la especulación nos está afectado bastante en nuestra actividad, debe haber actuaciones contundentes con respecto a la autorización de importación y de esos recursos a las industrias”, afirma.

MEXICO: Leve aumento de los precios del cemento

La encuesta mensual de precios realizada por Cemex indica que los precios del cemento en México y EU son sumamente importantes para la rentabilidad, sin embargo, destaca que la actual debilidad cíclica en la actividad de construcción de EU hace que el apalancamiento operativo sea un factor igual de importante para la rentabilidad de Cemex, de acuerdo con sus estimados. 

La encuesta de junio muestra un aumento promedio de 0.4 por ciento mensual (+3.3 por ciento anual) en los precios regionales promedio del cemento al menudeo en México, a aproximadamente 114 pesos por saco de 50 kg. La variación en el precio a lo largo de las regiones fue mixta, con un aumento mensual de dos por ciento en la Ciudad de México y de uno por ciento en Monterrey, Tijuana y Guadalajara. Durante el mes, Mérida no registró cambios, y Chihuahua y Aguascalientes bajaron 1 por ciento mensual. El incremento de 3.3 por ciento anual en términos de moneda local en el precio del cemento fue equivalente a un aumento del 13.6 por ciento en dólares, debido a la apreciación del peso. El índice de precios al productor de mayo en México (publicado el 9 de junio por el INEGI) reportó aumentos mensuales de 0.2 por ciento en los precios del concreto y descensos de 0.3 por ciento en los precios del cemento.

ARGENTINA: Solicitan que Petroquimica exporte su producción de cemento por Puerto Deseado

Los jefes comunales de Pico Truncado, Osvaldo Maimó; de Las Heras, Teodoro Camino; y de Puerto Deseado, Luis Ampuero; mantuvieron ayer una reunión con directivos de Petroquímica Comodoro Rivadavia, Joaquín Martínez Aguirre, Daniel Perfumo y Hugo Bacigalupo, con el propósito de solicitar que la empresa modifique la ruta de salida del cemento producido en la planta de Pico Truncado, y sea exportado a través del muelle deseadense.

Actualmente el cemento producido en la planta de Pico Truncado es transportado en camiones hacia el puerto comodorense desde donde se despacha a los distintos nichos en el exterior que fue consiguiendo la empresa.

Un pedido del sector portuario

Cabe recordar que la iniciativa para que Deseado sea el puerto exportador de la producción de Petroquímica ya ha había sido solicitado por distintos actores del puerto local y empresarios de empresas de estibajes quienes al ver que las exportaciones locales habían tenido una considerable merma ante la pérdida de comodities como la lana y el recurso calamar le acercaron un petitorio al Ministro de la Producción Jaime Álvarez. A raíz de este pedido el funcionario mantuvo contacto con directivos quienes le explicaron que la posibilidad de tomar el muelle local como ruta directa para la exportación estaba siendo considerada pero había que solucionar algunos detalles vinculados con la logística como la falta de camiones y de una balanza, inconvenientes el ministro se comprometió a solucionar.

"Deseado es un puerto importante y las navieras no tienen problemas en operar allí"

En esta oportunidad la reunión con los intendentes, y los directivos de Petroquímica que fue gestionada por Osvaldo Maimó se realizó en las instalaciones de la Planta en Pico Truncado. Luego del encuentro Ampuero se mostró satisfecho al señalar que la iniciativa solicitada por el sector portuario es posible. 

“Debemos reunirnos en el futuro directo con los intendentes y diputados de las localidades de la zona norte. Pretendemos que el ferrocarril también sea partícipe de esta posibilidad. Los empresarios están hablando de una macro, que siga hasta Chile, y nosotros también tenemos una chance”, señaló Ampuero y agregó luego; “Tenemos que brindarles toda la logística a Petroquímica CR, dentro de lo que podamos organizar entre todas las localidades, y a partir de ahí mostrarles a ellos lo que hemos concretado para que se decidan finalmente a exportar por nuestro puerto”.

Por su parte en diálogo con este diario, el jefe de Logística de PCR Daniel Perfumo indicó que la reunión fue muy importante y que la posibilidad de exportar por el muelle deseadense viene siendo evaluada hace un tiempo: Nosotros estuvimos hace un mes atrás en el puerto de Deseado, lo recorrimos hablamos con autoridades portuarias, con Aduana, las empresas y gente de logística, vimos que hacían falta camiones y una balanza que el puerto no contaba, nos dijeron que era algo que se podía solucionar, incluso íbamos a hacer una prueba pero por ahora no nos dieron los tiempos”, señaló el directivo al acotar que , “pese a que la empresa en esta época estamos en temporada baja tenemos muchísimo trabajo, y constantemente estamos exportando materia prima, pero más adelante vamos a realizar esta prueba porque Deseado es un puerto importante, y las navieras no tienen problemas en operar allí siempre y cuando tengamos garantizada la carga que en este caso se habla de más de 5 mil toneladas”, cerró.

De la reunión mantenida en PCR participaron además de los intendentes, diputados provinciales de zona norte y los concejales de Puerto Deseado.

ARGENTINA: Utilizarían cenizas de volcán para hacer ladrillos y cemento

En Argentina, las cenizas del volcán chileno Puyehue, que tanto daño han causado, podrían ser aprovechadas en la fabricación de ladrillos, cemento, bases de pavimento, etc.

En el caso de los ladrillos, el 75 por ciento de los compuestos que emplearían son cenizas, mientras que un 15 por ciento correspondería a la cal.

No obstante, según el diario argentino Panorama, ninguno de los tentativos usos para los ladrillos han sido aprobados, pues deberán hacerse análisis químicos antes de dar el visto bueno. Sobre esto, el profesor de la Universidad de Córdoba, Raúl Montenegro, dijo que las cenizas contienen elementos cancerígenos, por lo que aspirarlas pone en riesgo la salud de las personas.

Asimismo, el geólogo Gustavo Villarrosa expresó que en primer lugar de debe evaluar "cómo afectan (las cenizas) la calidad del agua, el aire y qué efectos tienen sobre el suelo. (...) Antes de usarlas para hacer cemento, o para ladrillos, hay que caracterizarlas técnicamente, tenemos que hacer ensayos. Y por más que les encontremos usos, la mayor parte va a ir a repositorios”, agregó.

REPUBLICA DOMINICANA: Distribuidora cemento retira demanda contra Pro Consumidor

La demanda interpuesta contra Pro Consumidor, por defender a usuarios y consumidores al exigir una certificación de no objeción a la comercialización del cemento Carib, fue retirada por compañía Distribuidora de Cemento, Docemca, por anteTribunal Superior Administrativo. El desistimiento del Recurso de Amparo que había incoado contra la entidad defensora de los consumidores comunicó a la empresa Docemca que dejó sin efecto las medidas restrictivas que impedía la comercialización del cemento Garib, importado desde Jamaica, luego que el Ministerio de Obras Públicas emitiera la certificación de no objeción.

La comercialización de cemento procedente de Jamaica fue paralizada al no comprobarse la calidad del producto por el Ministerio de Obras Públicas al momento de que la embarcación depositada el producto en el puerto de Boca Chica.

El Tribunal Superior Administrativo, se reservó el fallo de la emisión de la sentencia para darle un plazo de dos días para que la parte accionaria deposite el desistimiento.

Al presentar su pedido de desistimiento, el representante Docemca, el abogado Francisco Tabares, dijo que de las medidas restrictivas de distribución y comercialización de ese producto, luego que el Ministerio de Obras Públicas emitiera el oficio 0608 informando sobre la calidad del producto al director General de Aduanas.

La defensa de Pro consumidor acogió el pedido del representante de Docemca tras asegurar que no tiene razón de ser, que carece de objeto, ya que las medidas precautorias tomada por la institución quedaron satisfechas por la emisión del oficio 0608 del Ministerio de Obras Publicas.

Por tercera ocasión las demandan contra Pro Consumidor por aplicar medidas preventivas establecidas en la ley 358-05, la primera demanda fue por los asociaciones de distribuidores de gas licuado de petróleo; la segunda la Asociación de Bancos Comerciales de la República Dominicana y la tercera por Docemca.

El Tribual Superior Administrativo estuvo integrado por la Jueza Judith Contreras, Federico Fernández y Julián Henríquez.

Pro Consumidor estuvo representada por los abogados Félix Pujols, Joaquín Antonio Zapata, David La Hoz y Fátima Matos

Pro Consumidor, dispuso la retención de cemento procedente de Jamaica porque no cumplía con los requisitos de calidad y los procesos indicados por la Normativa RTD 17.

Docemca buscaba que el tribunal condenara a Pro Consumidor al pago de una sanción económica de 200 mil pesos diario (astriente) porque no permitió la comercialización del cemento hasta que el Ministerio de Obras Públicas emita una certificación de no objeción.

Sin embargo, la directora de Pro Consumidor, Altagracia Paulino manifestó que la medida tomada con el cemento de importado de Jamaica por la Compañía Docemca se basó en el principio precautorio, fundamentado en el artículo 38 de la Ley 358-05.

ESPAÑA: El consumo de cemento marca su peor mes de mayo de los últimos 23 años

El consumo de cemento, uno de los indicadores que mide la actividad del sector de la construcción, registró, con 2,05 millones de toneladas, su peor mes de mayo de los últimos 23 años, según los datos publicados hoy por la patronal del sector Oficemen.

Habría que remontarse a mayo de 1988, el primer año del histórico de Oficemen, para encontrar un consumo inferior, con 2,01 millones de toneladas.

El consumo de mayo de este año representó un descenso del 11,6 %, frente al mismo mes de 2010.

Con un descenso del 19,02 %, la producción de cemento en el quinto mes del año alcanzó los 2,1 millones de toneladas, la menor cifra de toda la serie histórica de la patronal de los fabricantes de cemento.

Las exportaciones de cemento y clínker (material del que se extrae el cemento) alcanzaron las 376.015 toneladas, el 17,6 % más, mientras que las importaciones cayeron el 38,6 %, con 143.866 toneladas.

En los cinco primeros meses del año, el consumo acumulado de cemento se situó en 9 millones de toneladas, el 7,9 % menos, en tanto que la producción alcanzó los 9,7 millones de toneladas, el 5,6 % menos.

Las exportaciones de cemento y clínker aumentaron el 8,1 %, hasta 1,6 millones de toneladas, en tanto que las importaciones cayeron el 43,2 %, hasta las 500.859 toneladas.

ESPAÑA: Las exportaciones de cemento caen un 26,5% en los cinco primeros meses, mientras repunta un 12,7% en mayo

Las exportaciones de cemento y clinker han caído un 26,5 por ciento en los cinco primeros meses del año con respecto al mismo periodo del año anterior, con 158.427 toneladas, mientras que en el mes de mayo ha repuntado un 16,7 por ciento, hasta las 25.708 toneladas.

Según los datos de la Agrupación de Fabricantes de Cemento de Andalucía (AFCA) recogidos por Europa Press, si se tiene en cuenta el año móvil, las ventas andaluzas en el exterior de este producto aún mantienen tasas positivas, con un +65,4 por ciento y 612.424 toneladas desde las 370.271 toneladas registradas entre junio de 2009 a mayo de 2010.

En este marco, las importaciones de cemento y clinker también se han visto afectadas por la actual coyuntura económica y del sector de la construcción, particularmente.

Así, han caído un 75,2 por ciento en el acumulado anual hasta mayo, con 56.699 toneladas, y marca un -73,9 por ciento en el mes de mayo, hasta las 13.601 toneladas. En los datos del año móvil se registra también una caída en línea con las anteriores del 69,6 por ciento y 233.820 toneladas.

Por su parte, el consumo de cemento en mayo fue de 318.930 toneladas, lo que representa un descenso del 21,83 por ciento con respecto al mismo mes del año anterior, confirmando la profundidad de la caída de meses anteriores.

Este dato duplica además el descenso de consumo nacional, que ha sido de una bajada del 11,60 por ciento. Respecto al año móvil, en los últimos doce meses el consumo de cemento ha registrado un descenso del 14,29 por ciento hasta alcanzar 4.005.854 toneladas.

Según AFCA, la tendencia del consumo de cemento en los próximos meses será de continuación de "importantes descensos por los recortes y retrasos en la ejecución de las infraestructuras públicas, y porque la edificación continuará en mínimos históricos de actividad".