Holcim Argentina’s CEO, Christian Dedeu, has warned that clinker production at its plants could come to a halt as he has no guarantee that there will be gas to fire the kilns this coming winter (June-August 2022). “We do not have guaranteed gas for the winter, which puts cement production at risk. The impact can be very strong for the construction activity,” said Mr Dedeu. Moreover, gas prices remain sky-high and the rise in production costs is difficult to offset.

However, the company is investing in energy generation from domestic and industrial waste to fire its kilns. “Today that energy is much cheaper because the international price of gas or petcoke is high. Prices in Argentina are already impacted by the war in Ukraine,” said Mr Dedeu to El Cronista. The company aims to achieve a 40 per cent thermal substitution rate.