LafargeHolcim sales, profit jump
Sales and profits of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh jumped in the second quarter of 2021 (April to June) thanks to a newly launched business of aggregate and the inclusion of new products in its portfolio.
Net sales of the multinational cement maker rose 79 per cent to Tk 473 crore in the quarter, which was Tk 264 crore in the same period the previous year.
Its profits jumped 248 per cent to Tk 111 crore, which was Tk 32 crore. In the period, its earnings per share stood at Tk 0.96, which was Tk 0.28 year-on-year.
"Our Holcim Water Protect, sustainable waste management solution Geocycle, and new aggregate business has set a solid momentum," said Rajesh Surana, CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh.
The company's revenue from aggregate sale was Tk 72 crore, which was a new form of sales revenue in the quarter as it had started the business last January.
Aggregate is a broad category of coarse particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geo-synthetic aggregates.
The company has set up the crushing unit with ancillary equipment on the premises of its existing integrated clinker and cement manufacturing plant in Chhatak, Sunamganj.
It has the capacity to produce 12 lakh tonnes of clear-sized graded aggregate per annum. It invested Tk 40.1 crore, which came from the company's own fund, the disclosure added.
"We have remained steadfast in our journey of being innovative and sustainable," Surana said in a press release.
"The indomitable passion and spirit of our employees has helped to deliver such sustained performance," he added.
The cement maker's clinker sales amounted to Tk 26 crore in the last quarter while it was Tk 16 crore during the same period the previous year. Its grey cement sales stood at Tk 1,000 crore in the quarter while it was Tk 760 crore a year earlier, according to the quarterly financial report.
The company was successful in managing a significant portion of the increased input cost through effective pricing, the company said in the press release.
The company's pursuit in strengthening digital footprint, maximising outreach by bringing in innovative channel implementation, unveiling of a new look of Supercrete, driving seamless cost effectiveness programmes, all played very instrumental roles, it added.