BELARUS: Exports 65% more cement to Russia in 2014

Belarus plans to ship 65% more cement to Russia in 2014 in comparison with 2013, BelTA learned from Belarusian Architecture and Construction Minister Anatoly Chernyi during the conference held on 26 March to discuss the development of cement markets and markets for other construction materials in the Customs Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Eastern Europe.

In line with the agreement with the Russian company ZAO Eurocement Group cement shipment will be increased by 0.5 million tonnes in 2014 in comparison with 2014. The next year cement shipment will increase by 0.5 million tonnes, said the Minister. “The markets will be expanded to the full once all our factories have finished modernization and make cement using the dry method,” said the official. Belarus has guaranteed the delivery of 1.5 million tonnes of cement to Eurocement in 2014, with another 500,000 tonnes to be available on the market. If the plans come true, the Belarusian cement industry will secure a 65% increase in export to Russia from 2013.

Anatoly Chernyi explained that there is a certain roadmap that guides cooperation with Eurocement. In line with the roadmap the modernization of Belarusian factories is supposed to be finished by 2017. “The roadmap for the project has been agreed with the government and has been backed by the prime minister. We will still have to hold negotiations today and then we will get down to implementation,” he specified. The reduction of energy consumption is the key benefit of the transition from the wet method to the dry method in cement manufacturing. It will allow reducing the prime cost of cement manufacturing from $89 to $60 per tonne.

ZAO Eurocement Group President Mikhail Skorokhod remarked that the presence of Belarusian cement on the Russian market was rising fast.

BelTA reported earlier that Eurocement is ready to invest up to $80 million in the modernization of Belarusian cement factories. At present three Belarusian cement factories can make 9.5 million tonnes of cement per annum, including 5.4 million tonnes made using new lines and the dry method.