India: Germany-based ThyssenKrupp has agreed to sell its 55% stake in ThyssenKrupp Industries India to local joint venture partners. VCCircle News has reported that the move is part of on-going strategic cost-saving measures. The supplier expects to complete the sale in mid-late 2024. As a result, its total global employees will drop by over 2300. Protos Engineering and Paharpur Cooling Towers will reportedly acquire the stake. The companies hold existing stakes of 16% and 11% respectively.

Czech Republic: The Czech Cement Association (SVC ČR) says that it is “firmly” committed to decarbonise the cement industry and has agreed a clear roadmap explaining how to reach net zero by 2050. It added that it was also backing the strategy outlined in the European Commission’s (EC) industrial deal. In a statement the association said, “The position of SVC ČR regarding the proposal of the decarbonising targets by 2040 is that the Czech government has to prepare in cooperation with the individual industries a deep analysis of the opportunities and the risks arising from the new proposal and prepare a long-term strategy to support the competitiveness of Czech energy-intensive industries.”

SVC ČR distanced itself from comments published in ČTK Business News reporting that a group of energy-intensive industry associations in the country had challenged the EC's proposal to aim to reduce CO₂ emissions by 90% by 2040. The associations argue that the target will harm the competitiveness of Czech industries. They say that it is based on unrealistic assumptions and overlooks the absence of necessary conditions for major investment in the EU’s green industry transformation.

This story was updated on 29 February 2024 with comments from SVC ČR

France: Calderys Group says that it has successfully implemented technology sharing between US-based HWI and Calderys, following their integration in February 2023. In the past 12 months, the group has transferred select Calderys products to HWI in the Americas and introduced HWI products in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific. The refractories supplier says that the collaboration offers customers an enhanced product range.

Calderys Group president and CEO Michel Cornelissen said "The past 12 months have been exciting, demanding and very productive for our newly-formed group. The combination brought together two dynamic businesses with complimentary product ranges and created the opportunity for technology sharing and cooperation for the benefit of the world's high temperature manufacturing sectors. I am delighted that we are already seeing great results. Throughout 2024, we will continue to add to, and update, our product portfolios.”

India: Ambuja Cements is planning to build a 4Mt/yr cement grinding plant at Motia Village, Godda District in Jharkhand. The project has a budget of US$120m. The proposed plant will use fly ash supplied from the nearby Andani Power Godda thermal power plant.

Ajay Kapur, CEO – Cement Business at Adani Group, said “We believe that Jharkhand holds immense potential in terms of resources, infrastructure and skilled manpower, making it an ideal location for this project.”

Ambuja Cements operates two cement plant in Jharkhand with a combined production capacity of 6Mt/yr.

Nigeria: The Federal Government has warned cement producers that it is considering allowing cement imports into the country in response to high local prices. Arc Ahmed Dangiwa, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, made the comment at an emergency meeting held with cement and building materials manufacturers in Abuja following a doubling of the price of bags of cement, according to the Vanguard newspaper. Manufacturers have blamed the price rises on the increasing cost of gas, the cost of mining equipment, negative currency exchange rate effects and the poor state of the country’s roads. However, Dangiwa noted that many of the raw materials they use - including limestone, clay, silica sand and gypsum - are sourced locally.

The government is preparing to set up a committee - comprising representatives of each cement company, the Cement Manufactures of Nigeria Association and the relevant ministries, to find ways of tackling the high price of cement.

UK: Aggregate Industries is preparing to build a new cement storage unit for deep sea shipping lines at the Port of Southampton. As part of a 20-year agreement, Aggregate Industries will be working with port owner Associated British Ports and industry-leading cargo handler Solent Stevedores, which will operate the new cement import unit. The site is intended to help the business maintain a continuous supply of lower CO₂ cementitious products in the south and south west of England.

Matt Owen, Head of Supply Chain at Aggregate Industries Cement Division said “This is a significant project for us. It constitutes the first stage in a wider programme of planned investments over the short to medium term in deep sea imports designed to enable us to serve growing demand.” He continued, “The southern construction market remains buoyant with lots of major projects in the pipeline this year and beyond. Constituting one of the few deep-sea vessel facilities of its kind in the region, this facility will enable us to remain primed and ready to meet our customers rising demand for lower carbon solutions.”

Greece: Titan Cement International has published its preliminary results for 2023. The results indicate a 13% year-on-year rise in sales, to Euro2.54bn from Euro2.25bn in 2022. The unaudited figures show group earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) growth of 61% to Euro535m from Euro331m. As a result, it expects to more than double its net profit to Euro265m. The company's net debt ended the year at Euro660m, down by 17% from Euro797m a year earlier.

South Korea: Sungshin Cement's sales rose by 8% to US$832m in 2023, from US$771m in 2022. The producer reported a surge in its operating profit to US$54.9m from US$1.37m.

Malaysia: Borneo Cement Sabah expects to commission its US$417m integrated Nabawan cement plant later in 2024. The project additionally involves the construction of energy, road and water infrastructure. Malay Mail Online News has reported that Borneo Cement Sabah is a joint venture of Setia Alam and state-owned Sabah Economic Development Corporation, with investment from China National Building Material subsidiary Sinoma.

General manager Michael Kinsuan said that Borneo Cement Sabah will hire 1000 workers for the plant.

UAE: Emirates Steel Arkan has concluded a partnership for the deployment of Finland-based Magsort’s technology in steel slag processing at its Al Ain cement plant. ZAWYA News has reported that the partners expect the technology to help reduce the plant’s limestone and fuel consumption. This will reduce its CO₂ emissions by 15%.

Emirates Steel Arkan CEO Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi said "Green solutions such as this will help decarbonise the sector's value chain."