Saudi Arabia: Yamama Cement Company recorded sales of US$76m and net income of US$26.1m for the third quarter of 2024. This marks a rise of 35% and 140% respectively from US$56.5m in sales and US$10.9m in net income in the corresponding period in 2023.

Mexico: Cemex recorded an earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$747m in the third quarter of 2024, down by 9% year-on-year, with net sales falling by 3% to US$4.09bn. This period was influenced by adverse weather and foreign exchange movements, according to the company. Net income for the quarter more than tripled year-on-year to reach US$406m.

Compared to the corresponding period in 2023, sales in Mexico fell by 5% to US$1.14bn, while sales in the US decreased by 4% to US$1.34bn. In South and Central America and the Caribbean, sales declined by 1% to US$311m. Conversely, sales in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region rose by 1% to US$1.24bn.

Afghanistan: The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has signed a US$163m contract for the construction of a cement plant in northern Jawzjan province. The plant will produce 3000t/day of cement under a 30-year contract and is expected to employ about 1200 local people.

In an attempt to become self-sufficient in its cement production, the Ministry has also recently signed contracts worth US$476m with domestic and international companies across Parwan, Kandahar and Herat provinces.

Kenya: Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho has ordered the closure of the Simba Cement plant in Kilifi County due to pollution concerns. Residents have reported issues from stone blasting and dust, with one resident reporting that early morning blasting has caused ‘cracks’ in their house and exposed families to respiratory diseases, according to the Kenyan Post newspaper. It was also reported that the company has allegedly displaced residents to expand its mining operations.

Zimbabwe: The government is looking at consolidating limestone deposits as part of the new Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan. This plan aims to increase domestic clinker production so that ‘costly’ clinker imports are reduced, according to The Zimbabwean newspaper. The government hopes that the consolidation plan will stabilise the raw material supply chain, providing cement manufacturers with a steady source of limestone to meet demand without production interruptions. Zimbabwe’s cement industry reportedly has an installed capacity of 2.6Mt/yr, but only produces 1.65Mt/yr, with imports exceeding US$59m in 2023. The national demand is estimated at 1.8Mt/yr.

In order to support domestic production, the plan recommends increasing the cement import licence fee from US$100 to US$500 per 30t and reducing the electricity tariff from US$0.16/kWh to US$0.10/kWh.

India: Adani Group has entered talks with the Odisha government to construct its first greenfield cement plant. Ambuja Cements, a subsidiary of the Adani group, is likely to build the 4Mt/yr unit for US$357 – 416m. The plant is expected to be operational by the 2028 financial year, according to the Hindustan Times. This follows Adani's recent announcement of a new clinker grinding unit in Bihar for US$190 – 238m. Funding for the plant will reportedly come from internal accruals.

India: Ambuja Cements has reported a 22% year-on-year fall in standalone net profit to US$60.4m for the quarter ending September 2024, down from US$77.6m in the same period in 2023. Revenue from operations rose by 6% year-on-year to US$507m, compared to US$478m in the previous corresponding period. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the quarter also decreased by 12% year-on-year to US$82.3m. The company aims to achieve 100Mt/yr capacity by the end of the 2024 financial year, following the acquisition of a 47% share in Orient Cements.

Nigeria: Dangote Cement has recorded a 0.6% year-on-year rise in profit to US$163m for the first nine months of 2024. Revenue increased by 69% year-on-year to US$1.5bn, driven by price adjustments, up from US$885m in the same period in 2023. Gross profit also rose, up 36% year-on-year from US$568m to US$774m. The company has commissioned 11 out of 17 alternative fuel projects and recently integrated 1500 compressed natural gas trucks into its fleet in an attempt to reduce costs.

US: Terra CO₂ has received a US$52.6m federal grant from the US Department of Energy to support the construction of a new plant in Magna, Utah, that will produce up to 240,000t/yr of supplementary cementitious materials using mining waste from the nearby Kennecott copper mine. This method reportedly aims to cut CO₂ emissions by 70% per tonne of traditional cement replaced, according to the company’s CEO Bill Yearsley. The project is expected to create 61 jobs.

Philippines: The Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines (CEMAP) has confirmed that local cement producers are prepared to meet the rising housing demand, as domestic production capacity has increased. According to CEMAP president Reinier Dizon, capacity has grown from 27Mt in 2014 to 50Mt in 2024, supported by expansion projects in the country.