In order to increase its production capacity in El Salvador by 58%, Holcim will invest $20 million in the reactivation of the Maya Plant and in improvements to the El Ronco Plant.
The company currently has a production capacity of 1.2 million tons of cement per year, but with the reactivation of the plant located in Metapan and the improvements of the other industrial complex, they intend to increase its capacity to 1.9 million tons.
The restriction to the construction activity due to the sanitary emergency and culmination of the third set of locks of the Canal, forces the cement producing companies in Panama to enter in "hibernation" mode.
During 2020, Holcim announced that it will invest $7.5 million in the construction of six concrete production plants and the purchase of machinery.
The new concrete plants that the company is already building will be in Santa Ana, Acajutla, Apopa, Ilopango, La Paz and La Unión. These will be in addition to the 12 that Holcim already operates in the country.
The Guatemalan Ministry of Education tenders the supply of prefabricated modules for schools nationwide.
Guatemala Government Purchase 10580042:
"The modules must have the characteristics of a temporary structure (100% dismountable and technically verifiable) allowing its complete assembly and disassembly. The components of the module (foundation/fixation bases, platform, vertical enclosures and roof) will form a single monolithic unit, with seismic-resistant characteristics, resistance to humidity and winds, will provide thermal comfort and will meet or exceed the requirements of the school quality standards approved by the Ministry.
In the first half of this year, the country demanded 2.2 million metric tons of cement, a volume that exceeds by 5% the amount consumed in the same period in 2017.
According to figures from the Dominican Association of Producers of Portland Cement, the 2,196,282 metric tons consumed in the country during the first six months of the year, add up to an approximate amount of $196 million.
In Guatemala, a tender is being launched for the installation of an electric generation plant and the placement of concrete mix in the Xejuyup adventure park.
Guatemala Government Purchase 7240856:
"Supply, installation and commissioning of 563 kva / 450kw power generation plant and 480v 3f automatic transfer switch for use in electrical installations of the Xejuyup adventure park."
Seven companies are competing in a market which in the first semester of this year reported sales worth around $223 million.
Figures from the Dominican Association of Portland Cement Producers (Adocem) show that compared to the same semester in 2016 there was an increase of just 1.4% in sales reported by Cibao, Argos Dominicana, Cemex, Domicem, Andino, Santo Domingo and Panam.
With Nicaraguan and Costa Rican capital the company Concrenic has started operation of its third plant for the production of pipes, blocks and concrete boxes.
The precast concrete production plant started operating in September, at kilometer 47 of the old road to León. This plant joins the two operating in San Carlos, Managua, specializing in heavy structures such as beams and columns and prefabricated concrete.
The cement production plant that Plycem is to build on a 50,000 square meter site in Esparza, Puntarenas, will start operations in the first quarter of 2018.
The cement that will be manufactured at the plant will be of the Cementos Fortaleza brand, and part of its production will be sold locally.
"According to a press release, with the start-up of the new plant, the company will be able to self-supply the main raw material used in the manufacture of fibro-cement products."
In 2016 intraregional trade in hydraulic cement totaled $59 million, 18% less than in 2015, and the main exporter is still Costa Rica.
Figures from the information system on the the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
Between January and September 2016, the value of trade in hydraulic cement between countries of the region amounted to $48 million, 14% less than the same period in 2015.
Figures from the information system on the the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America , compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Clic para interactuar con la gráfica"]
The Ministry of Public Works in Panama is putting out to tender a supply of asphalt concrete for use nationwide.
Panama Government Purchase 2017-0-09-0-99-LA-004948:
"The material must be available 7 days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays.The proposer must indicate its proposed site for the location of the plant, i.e.
The plant that Mexico's Cemex operates in Escuintla will increase its production capacity by 10%, reaching 545 thousand tons a year.
In addition to the increased production capacity, with the improvements made to the plant, capacity for bagging cement will rise by 46%, going from 65 to 95 tons per hour.
Developers are the main sources of demand for prefabricated construction systems, with prices hovering around $24.000 for a 50 sqm prefabricated house with flat walls.
Traditionally demand for this type of building systems came from families who acquired the prefabricated systems to build their own homes, but now there is greater demand from developers who are choosing this option because of its lower cost and for the standardization that it allows them to achieve in the construction processes.
The company Cemento Regional has started operating a plant in Escuintla, Guatemala which has capacity to produce 8,000 bags per day.
The company Cemento Regional has invested $12.2 million in the construction and commissioning of the plant, which will produce up to 8,000 bags per day and will supply the product to its three stores in the department of Guatemala.