世界最大的水泥生產商拉法基公司預計，今年全球水泥需求將下降。水泥需求將在25年來第一次出現收縮。
拉法基集團董事長兼首席執行官Bruno Lafont在馬來西亞時說，他預計全球水泥消費量將下降3％左右。“不過，保守起見，我們沒有過多考慮各個國家已經宣布的經濟刺激方案。因為每個經濟刺激方案都包括基礎設施作為組成部分，所以我們不考慮并不是因為他們不會影響水泥需求，而是因為我們不知道他們將從什么時候開始生效。”
Bruno Lafont對馬來西亞進行了為期兩天的訪問，以會見主要股東。在此期間，他接受StarBiz的采訪時說“因此，刺激方案實行后的效果可能提升水泥需求。它應該對今年的水泥需求有重大的積極影響。”
因為經濟不景氣已經影響到了全球的建筑和基礎設施活動，Lafont預計今年全球水泥消費將下降3％左右。
據他說，去年全球水泥需求已開始下降，主要是由于發達國家的經濟放緩，如美國，英國和西班牙。
Lafont還表示，2007年以前的25年來，全球水泥需求一直以平均每年5％的速度在增長，顯示出新興市場的強勁增長。
他還說“得益于大多數新興市場的良好增長，去年水泥需求仍增長了2％”。
Lafont還預計今年馬來西亞的水泥需求也將放緩。他說“我們不是十分樂觀，但今年的刺激計劃將有所幫助”。
馬來西亞2008年水泥需求同比2007年增長了7％ ，至1700萬噸。
拉法基集團，目前業務遍及大約80個國家，截止2008年12月31日，集團營業利潤同比2007年增長2.2％，為33.6億歐元。收入提高了8％，至190.3億歐元。
附英文：
Lafarge predicts fall in Global Cement demand
Lafarge chairman and chief executive officer Bruno Lafont said in Malaysia that he expects cement consumption worldwide to fall by up to 3% this year.
“However, to be conservative, we did not take much into account the economic stimulus packages that have been announced by various countries, not because they will not have an influence on cement demand as they all have an infrastructure component, but because we do not know when they will start to take effect.
“So there could be upsides depending on the effectiveness of the implementation of the stimulus packages. It should have a positive material impact on demand this year,” he told StarBiz in an interview during his two-day visit to Malaysia to meet key stakeholders.
Lafont expects cement consumption worldwide to drop by up to 3% this year as the economic downturn has impacted the construction and infrastructure activities globally.
According to him, the global cement demand had started to drop last year mainly due to the economic slowdown in developed countries such as the United States, Britain and Spain.
Lafont also said that the global demand for cement has been growing at an average 5% annually for the past 25 years until 2007, showing signs of strong growth in emerging markets.
“Demand still grew to 2% last year boosted by good growth in most emerging markets,” he added.
Lafont also foresees a slowdown in cement demand in the country this year.
“We are not extremely optimistic this year but the stimulus package will help,” he said.
The country’s cement demand grew 7% to about 17 million tonnes last year versus 2007.
The Lafarge group, which has a presence in some 80 countries, recorded a 2.2% growth in operating profit to 3.36 billion euros for the year ended Dec 31, 2008 versus 2007 while revenue improved by 8% to 19.03 billion euros. Lafont expects cement consumption worldwide to drop by up to 3% this year as the economic downturn has impacted the construction and infrastructure activities globally.
拉法基集團董事長兼首席執行官Bruno Lafont在馬來西亞時說，他預計全球水泥消費量將下降3％左右。“不過，保守起見，我們沒有過多考慮各個國家已經宣布的經濟刺激方案。因為每個經濟刺激方案都包括基礎設施作為組成部分，所以我們不考慮并不是因為他們不會影響水泥需求，而是因為我們不知道他們將從什么時候開始生效。”
Bruno Lafont對馬來西亞進行了為期兩天的訪問，以會見主要股東。在此期間，他接受StarBiz的采訪時說“因此，刺激方案實行后的效果可能提升水泥需求。它應該對今年的水泥需求有重大的積極影響。”
因為經濟不景氣已經影響到了全球的建筑和基礎設施活動，Lafont預計今年全球水泥消費將下降3％左右。
據他說，去年全球水泥需求已開始下降，主要是由于發達國家的經濟放緩，如美國，英國和西班牙。
Lafont還表示，2007年以前的25年來，全球水泥需求一直以平均每年5％的速度在增長，顯示出新興市場的強勁增長。
他還說“得益于大多數新興市場的良好增長，去年水泥需求仍增長了2％”。
Lafont還預計今年馬來西亞的水泥需求也將放緩。他說“我們不是十分樂觀，但今年的刺激計劃將有所幫助”。
馬來西亞2008年水泥需求同比2007年增長了7％ ，至1700萬噸。
拉法基集團，目前業務遍及大約80個國家，截止2008年12月31日，集團營業利潤同比2007年增長2.2％，為33.6億歐元。收入提高了8％，至190.3億歐元。
附英文：
Lafarge predicts fall in Global Cement demand
Lafarge SA, the world’s biggest cement maker, has predicted a fall in the demand for cement globally this year. The contraction in cement demand will be the first in 25 years.
Lafarge chairman and chief executive officer Bruno Lafont said in Malaysia that he expects cement consumption worldwide to fall by up to 3% this year.
“However, to be conservative, we did not take much into account the economic stimulus packages that have been announced by various countries, not because they will not have an influence on cement demand as they all have an infrastructure component, but because we do not know when they will start to take effect.
“So there could be upsides depending on the effectiveness of the implementation of the stimulus packages. It should have a positive material impact on demand this year,” he told StarBiz in an interview during his two-day visit to Malaysia to meet key stakeholders.
Lafont expects cement consumption worldwide to drop by up to 3% this year as the economic downturn has impacted the construction and infrastructure activities globally.
According to him, the global cement demand had started to drop last year mainly due to the economic slowdown in developed countries such as the United States, Britain and Spain.
Lafont also said that the global demand for cement has been growing at an average 5% annually for the past 25 years until 2007, showing signs of strong growth in emerging markets.
“Demand still grew to 2% last year boosted by good growth in most emerging markets,” he added.
Lafont also foresees a slowdown in cement demand in the country this year.
“We are not extremely optimistic this year but the stimulus package will help,” he said.
The country’s cement demand grew 7% to about 17 million tonnes last year versus 2007.
The Lafarge group, which has a presence in some 80 countries, recorded a 2.2% growth in operating profit to 3.36 billion euros for the year ended Dec 31, 2008 versus 2007 while revenue improved by 8% to 19.03 billion euros. Lafont expects cement consumption worldwide to drop by up to 3% this year as the economic downturn has impacted the construction and infrastructure activities globally.
