China: Huaxin Cement and Hunan University have started a pilot production line that uses flue gas from a cement production line to manufacture concrete bricks. The process, being tested at the Huaxin Wuxue Industrial Park in Hubei Province, absorbs CO₂ from the flue gas and uses the heat of the gas to cure the bricks, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The average compressive strength of the bricks is above 15MPa. It is estimated that a production line with a brick output of 100m/yr could absorb 26,000t/yr of CO₂.

Argentina: Welding Alloys Argentina has manufactured and delivered a key set of wear parts for the classifier section of an FLSmidth OK 36.4 type vertical roller mill installed at an unnamed cement plant. The parts were manufactured at a workshop in San Nicolás near Buenos Aires.

They included a new 5000mm diameter by 2760mm high fine separator section complete with full set of vanes. The section was manufactured in two halves for later assembly on the customer’s site with vanes made from 13 sheets of 6+4 Hardplate 100 and flanges from 16mm 450HB through hardened plate. Also included were the lower cone section manufactured from eight sheets of 8+6 Hardplate 100, the upper cone section from 11 sheets of 10+4 Hardplate 100 and the discharge tube manufactured from 8+5 Hardplate 100, all flanged with 450HB through hardened plate.

US: Holcim says that it has completed its acquisition of Washington-based ready-mix concrete and aggregates producer Cowden. The group said that the acquisition expands its footprint in the Pacific Northwest region.

Chief executive officer Jan Jenisch said “This acquisition is another step in our Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth plan to become the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. We warmly welcome the more than 100 Cowden employees who join the Holcim family. With Cowden and its strong local roots we will strengthen our presence in this growing market and contribute to Holcim’s overall strategy to expand our range of low-carbon products and solutions.”

Singapore: Pan-United Concrete has started a partnership with Surbana Jurongto study the feasibility of using electric and hydrogen fuel cells to power a fleet of more than 1000 trucks. The agreement is intended to support Pan-United’s sustainability targets to offer only low-carbon concrete by 2030, carbon-neutral concrete products by 2040 and to become a carbon-neutral ready-mix concrete company by 2050.

Yeo Choon Chong, the Chief Executive Officer of Surbana Jurong's Association of Southeast Asian Nations division, said, "We applaud Pan-United's ambition to decarbonise its heavy vehicle fleet and are excited to contribute to its sustainability initiative by leveraging our expertise in electrification and hydrogen solutions. Partnerships are a key method of accelerating our collective efforts to build for a safe, sustainable and resilient future for all."

Costa Rica/El Salvador: Cementos Progreso has agreed to acquire Cemex’s Costa Rican and El Salvadorian assets for US$335m. The divested assets consist of an integrated cement plant, a cement grinding plant, seven ready-mix concrete plants, an aggregate quarry and one terminal in Costa Rica. An additional terminal is also being sold in El Salvador. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022 subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities.

Cemex’s chief executive officer (CEO) Fernando Gonzalez said “This transaction allows us to progress in our portfolio rebalancing objectives, while redeploying resources to fund our growth investments and further deleveraging.”

Chile: Peru-based Unacem has bought CBB’s Cemento San Antonio grinding plant in Valparaíso region for US$30.8m. The deal also covers the nearby Popeta pozzolano deposit.

Ireland: CRH says that it completed a further phase of its share buyback programme in late December 2021 with the acquisition of shares worth US$300m. The figure brings the company’s total investment in its on-going share buyback programme to US$2.9bn since it started in mid-2018. CRH has now launched the next phase of the programme, to continue until March 2022, during which time it plans to acquire a further US$300m-worth of its shares. France-based financier Societe Generale will act as principal for the repurchases on the Euronext Dublin exchange.

China: Hebei province will screen out a total of 1000 existing factories for replacement with less-polluting alternatives under the Chinese government’s 14th Five Year Plan, which covers the period up to the end of 2025. The Xinhua News Agency has reported that factories, including cement plants, will undergo upgrades in order to conform to the plan’s emissions restrictions or close down. The province currently has a total of 233 green factories. Under the 13th Five Year Plan, which concluded in 2020, it reduced its installed cement production capacity by 12Mt/yr.

India: The nine-year-old son of an ACC executive has returned home after being kidnapped in Bargarh, Odisha. The child was playing locally on the evening of 2 January 2022 when two men on a motorcycle abducted him, according to the New Indian Express newspaper. They left a ransom note demanding around US$13,400 for his return. Following a search, police found the boy roaming the countryside shortly before midnight on the same day. They believe the assailants abandoned their plans after learning that the authorities had effectively prevented their escape by sealing the local area. The hunt for the suspects continues.

India: ACC has been awarded a five star rating for sustainable mining by the Ministry of Mines. Pralhad Joshiand, the Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs of India, and Raosaheb Patil Danve, the Honourable Minister of State for Ministry of Mines, Coal and Railways, presented ACC with the award at the fifth National Conclave on Mines and Minerals held in Delhi.

The award is a recognition of the company’s efforts towards sustainable mining at the Govari Limestone Mine, the Wadi Limestone Mine, the Gagal Limestone Mine, the Jamul Limestone Mines and the Kymore Limestone Mines from amongst 1029 mines in all over India. The mines were rated from one star to five star on the criteria including: mining methodology; resettlement and rehabilitation issues; community engagement; use of green energy sources, digitisation; and data reporting.

Rajat Prusty, the Chief Manufacturing Officer of ACC, said, “Sustainability is deeply embedded in ACC’s business model. It’s a proud moment for the company to be recognised for its efforts in sustainable mining.”