Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement says that it expects sales to rise by 14% year-on-year to US$761m during the first half of the 2024 financial year. Nikkei Financial Summary News has reported that the producer expects a drop in its cement volumes, offset by price hikes. Currency effects will also impact its result. Meanwhile, coal prices remained lower than expected. The company expects to record a net profit of US$26.6m, compared to a loss of US$20.4m in the first half of the 2023 financial year. It previously forecast a US$13.3m loss.

Sumitomo Osaka Cement recorded US$52.8m in sales in the first quarter of the 2024 financial year (1 April - 30 June 2023). This corresponds to year-on-year growth of 16%. Nonetheless, it made a net loss of US$7.6m.

Throughout the first quarter of the 2024 financial year, Japanese cement despatches fell by 15% to 10.1Mt. Exports declined most sharply, by 43%, to 1.51Mt.

India: Germany-based Gebr. Pfeiffer says that it has received orders for two MVR 3750 C-4 vertical roller mills from Dalmia Cement (Bharat). The producer plans to install one mill at its Ariyalur grinding plant in Tamil Nadu and the other at its Kadapa grinding plant in Andhra Pradesh. Gebr. Pfeiffer says that the mills will be employed in grinding clinker and pond ash. Each will produce 160t/hr of cement or fly ash cement. The supplier said that the mills' vertical design will help them to dry pond ash, as well as grinding and classifying it.

Sweden: CemVision has reported the successful conclusion of a large-scale production pilot of its ultra low carbon alternative clinker. CemVision produces the clinker using up to 100% recycled industrial secondary materials from the steel and mining sectors. CemVision says that its production process heats the raw materials using renewable electricity, and without the use of fossil fuels. The alternative clinker offers CO₂ reductions of up to 100% compared with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) clinker. CemVision has opened an invitation to possible collaborators to help scale up production, with a target of hundreds of thousands of tonnes per year.

Chief technical officer Claes Kollberg said "We are a climate-first company, making high performance cement. With our competence and experience, it is our duty to produce the most environmentally friendly cement for each application."

Austria: Alpacem's Austrian subsidiary W&P Zement has announced its rebranding to Alpacem Zement Austria. Alpacem said that the rebrand in Austria will be the first step of a roll-out of the Alpacem brand across its local subsidiaries.

Alpacem has subsidiaries in Austria, Italy and Slovenia.

Mexico: Cooperativa La Cruz Azul has inaugurated the new Kiln 5 at its Oaxaca cement plant in Lagunas. Local press has reported that the new kiln will increase the plant's clinker capacity by 3700t/day. Additionally, the producer has inaugurated a new weighbridge at the plant. The equipment is capable of weighing trucks of up to 100t in mass. Cooperativa La Cruz Azul's investments in the latest upgrades to the Lagunas cement plant totalled US$301m.

Cooperativa La Cruz Azul said "With these projects, multiple benefits are generated for the community, and the cooperative reaffirms its commitment to the progress and development of the region."

South Africa: PPC South Africa Holdings says that it has concluded a deal to sell 10% of its shares to employees via the PPC Employee Share Ownership Trust. News24 Online News has reported that all South African employees of the company will be eligible to buy shares, provided that they are not already currently participating in its long-term incentive programme. The total value of shares transferred under the deal will be US$20.4m

CEO Roland van Wijnen said "PPC has been built upon the shoulders of its employees, and this transaction provides a meaningful way of rewarding those in South Africa who do not participate in PPC’s long-term incentive plan to share in the creation of shareholder value. We are pleased that the terms of the transaction are such that it stands to benefit employees for many years to come.”

Israel: Nesher-Israel Cement Enterprises has received an order from the Ministry of Environmental Protection to reduce emissions from its Ramle cement plant. BALLEG News has reported that the plant violated pollution rules over non-focal emissions and particle emissions values. Nesher-Israel Cement Enterprises also reportedly failed to submit data about defects, malfunctions and abnormal emissions, following 'several incidents.'

The producer previously paid a US$1.64m pollution fine in August 2022.

India: Prism Johnson has ordered US$2.42m-worth of coal for use as cement fuel from Vikas Ecotech. Press Trust of India News has reported that the supplier will complete the order by 31 October 2023.

US: Heidelberg Materials North America reported the death of a man at its Port Everglades cement terminal in Florida on 5 August 2023. Local press has reported that the body of the man was found inside equipment, where he is believed to have fallen. He was an external contractor who had been carrying out repair work. Authorities are currently investigating the tragedy.

Heidelberg Materials North America said "We are working closely with the appropriate authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident."

Morocco: Members of the Professional Association of Cement Producers (APC) delivered a total of 6.98Mt of cement during the first seven months of 2023. This corresponds to a year-on-year rise of 2.1%, compared with seven-month 2022 levels. Agence Marocaine de Presse News has reported that ready-mix concrete plants consumed 4.29Mt (61%), and precast concrete plants 1.37Mt (20%), of cement deliveries. Producers despatched 367,000t (5.3%) of cement to infrastructure construction sites, and 271,000t (3.9%) to other building sites.