Cement News tagged: International
Argentina’s cement consumption up 10% in April
The Argentine cement demand increased by 9.6 per cent YoY in April 2022 to reach 1,039,320t, according to the country’s cement association, AFCP. In April 2021 cement’s consumption stood at 947,965t. All cement sold in the country was supplied by domestic producers with no imports reported. Domestic cement plants produced 1,049,302t in April 2022, up 9.8 per cent when compared with April 202...
Cement production in Tajikistan declined in 1Q22
Cement plants in Tajikistan saw a 5.9 per cent YoY drop in cement production to 971,000t in the first quarter of 2022, according to the country’s statistics office. In January-March 2021, Tajikistan’s cement production reached 1.031Mt. In addition, the Ministry of Economic Development and trade has predicted cement output to advance to 7Mta by 2024 as well as a 200,000tpa increase of exports...
Norfund invests in Continental Blue Investments Ghana
Norfund, the Norwegian investment fund for developing countries, has made a US$7.5m investment in Continental Blue Investments Ghana Ltd (CBI) to support the company’s drive to reduce CO 2 emissions and increase job opportunities at its 0.55Mta Tema plant. Earlier this year CBI Ghana placed an order with FLSmidth to supply the world’s largest clay calcination installation . The facility is...
UK cement and lime producers excluded from compensation scheme
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has expressed disappointment that UK cement and lime producers have been excluded from the government’s compensation scheme for climate change costs. Under the scheme, some energy-intensive industries can apply for compensation from the indirect costs of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and Carbon Price Support (CPS) if they meet the criteria. Acc...
Pakistan’s producers contend with soaring costs
In the first nine months of the current financial year (9MFY22), Pakistan’s cement producers sold 40.8Mt of cement, down 2.5Mt or 5.8 per cent on the same period a year earlier. While local dispatches have remained stable at 36.1Mt, exports have fallen by 35 per cent. With costs continuing to soar, domestic cement producers are reporting a mixed bag of results as the industry reels from th...
Chinese cement production drops 12%
China’s cement production in the opening quarter of 2022 has fallen by 12.1 per cent YoY, according to Fitch Ratings. This is being attributed to ongoing lockdowns due to the pandemic, which is curbing production of basic materials including steel that has seen a 10.5 per cent drop in production over the same period. The country is also seeing subdued construction activity as the property s...
HeidelbergCement expands its RMC business in the Czech Republic
HeidelbergCement has acquired six ready-mixed concrete plants and one sand pit via its Czech subsidiary Českomoravský beton from Kámen Zbraslav in the Moravia region in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. All plants have a well-established residential and commercial customer base around the city of Brno, with high demand for sustainable building solutions. With this deal, Heidelber...
Ministerial visit to Padeswood
Wales Minister David TC Davies MP has visited Hanson’s Padeswood cement production facility in North Wales, UK. The Minister heard first-hand about how the firm plans to upgrade its existing facility to become the UK’s first net zero cement works. If the industry leading project goes ahead, it would be only the second facility of its kind in the world and would set the UK’s construction indu...
IEEE welcomes 800 delegates in Las Vegas
The 64th IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference and Exhibition's general sessions opened on Tuesday, 3 May, in Las Vegas, USA. Brett Lindsay, Local Conference Chair, gave the main welcome speech to the 800 registered delegates at the event. Brett Lindsay, local conference chair, welcomes delegates to the 64th IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference in Las Veg...
Italy’s cement output sees 3% YoY uptick in February
Italy's cement production index (base year 2015) increased from 65 in January 2022 to 86 in February 2022, an advance of three per cent when compared with February 2021, according to Federbeton, the country’s concrete association. Grey cement imports into Italy increased 17 per cent YoY to 106,173t in January 2022. A total CIF value of EUR6.685m, or EUR63/t was reported. Cement exports in...
Tamilnadu Cements to build new grinding unit
Tamilnadu Cements has revealed plans to build a new grinding plant at Alangulam, in Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu, India. The new unit, which will cost US$5.23m, will serve the nearby Arasu cement plant, according to The Hindu newspaper. With construction expected to take 10 months, the new facility will double capacity from 0.28Mta to 0.56Mta, helping to meet huge demand in the souther...
Three new US states approve use of PLC
Three new state Departments of Transportation in the USA have approved the use of Portland-limestone cement (PLC). The addition of Maryland, Arizona and Vermont means that a total of 44 states now accept PLC, according to the Portland Cement Association (PCA). Designed for the same uses at traditional Portland cements, PLC has been gaining in popularity for transportation and other concrete ap...
Hearing postponed for those arrested in Cruz Azul confrontation
The 10 people arrested for the confrontation at the Cruz Azul cement plant in Hidalgo, Mexico, on 27 April remain in custody after the lawyers of the accused obtained a postponement following two hearings to hear the case file. According to sources from the Hidalgo Attorney General's Office, one week after the events in which eight people were killed, the operation to search for more suspec...
Fitch: Colombia's positive cement cycle partially mitigates inflationary impacts
Fitch Ratings has said Colombian cement companies face a challenging operating environment as rising commodity and energy prices, global supply chain disruptions and political uncertainty pressure their cost structures. Since 2021, the companies have benefited from the recovery in demand, marked by construction of housing and infrastructure projects in the main markets where they operate. The ...
Holcim buys six quarries from FAMY Group
Holcim has acquired six quarries from the FAMY Group, a major player in the aggregates sector in eastern France. The quarries currently serve the metropolitan areas of Dijon, Lyon and Geneva (Switzerland), accelerating Holcim’s expansion into the growing Rhône-Alpes region. Miljan Gutovic, regional head for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Holcim, said, “This acquisition expands ou...
Authorities investigate aggression at Cruz Azul plant
Authorities in the State of Hidalgo and the Cruz Azul Cooperative are investigating an incident at the Cruz Azul cement plant in Mexico on April 27, 2022, which left eight people dead. The Hidalgo prosecutor, Alejandro Habib, said that of the 10 people arrested for the confrontation at the plant, most came from municipalities of the State of Mexico, reportedly sent to take control of the plant...