Cement manufacturer LafargeHolcim see smaller demand, but maintains profit goal for 2017

ZURICH-the LafargeHolcim, the world''s largest cement maker, has reduced your forecast for global demand on Wednesday, citing weakness in Southeast Asia and in Nigeria, but said it continues to work to achieve your profit goal for 2017.
The franco-Swiss company reported that estimates that the global market will grow from 1 to 3% this year, below the earlier projection of 2 high to 4%.
The more cautious vision of the LafargeHolcim contrary to predictions of positive International Monetary Fund (IMF), which raised the estimate of global economic growth for 2017, citing gains in production and trade in Europe, Japan and China.
The company foresaw expansion of only one digit in Nigeria, but with the economic crisis now expects a drop in market demand, said the financial Vice President Ron Wirahadiraksa.
In addition, the infrastructure projects expected in the Philippines have not yet begun, while there was excess capacity in Indonesia and strong competition in Malaysia.
LafargeHolcim sales in the United States also fell during the first half, as bad weather hampered the Government''s infrastructure projects.
But lower prospects will not prevent the company from achieving your goal to increase the operating profit of the main core of business to a double-digit rate in 2017, according to Wirahadiraksa, with profit and margins rising with higher prices and efficiencies.
The company, which is the result of a merger between the French Lafarge and Holcim Switzerland, reported slightly better than expected results for the second quarter.
The adjusted operating profit grew 10,1%, to 1.735 billion francs (1.82 billion dollars) in the quarter ended June 30, topping the average estimate of $1.714 billion in a Reuters survey.