05 October 2023

Poland: Górażdże Cement has announced an investment of Euro261m in planned sustainability upgrades to its Górażdże cement plant in Opole Voivodeship, the Polish News Bulletin newspaper has reported. The Heidelberg Materials subsidiary plans to build a carbon capture installation, a green energy source and a facility to recycle construction and demolition waste for use in its cement production.

Colombia: Cemento País has commissioned its Aguas Prietas grinding plant in Turbaco, Bolívar. The El Tiempo newspaper has reported that the plant is situated in Turbaco’s Cristalina Free Trade Zone

Cement commercial manager Carlos Espinosa Osorio said that the company opted to install cutting edge equipment. “This ensures that each type of cement meets the most rigorous quality and safety standards. Likewise, it translates into a comprehensive value proposition for clients, generating the necessary confidence in the durability and performance of their projects in the region.”

India: The Hindu newspaper has reported that Adani Cement and UltraTech Cement may submit offers for Heidelberg Materials’ Indian business. This follows the news that parent company Heidelberg Materials has reportedly entered into talks with JSW Cement over the possible sale of the business. It consists of cement plants in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, in addition to a cement terminal and four grinding plants across India.

Global Cement reported on 4 October 2023 that Heidelberg Materials’ Indian subsidiary HeidelbergCement India had said it was ‘unaware’ of any discussions between its parent company and JSW Cement.

China: China Resources Cement (CRC) has rebranded to China Resources Building Materials Technology (CRBMT). The producer says that this reflects its business positioning and development strategy, and marks the launch of its transformation into a building materials group around its existing cement business.

EU/UK: EUROSLAG says that the use of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in cement production in the EU and UK between 2000 and 2022 has generated a cumulative reduction in CO₂ emissions of 408Mt. GGBFS replaced 716Mt-worth of raw materials over the period.

EUROSLAG Chair Thomas Reiche said "Resource conservation through secondary raw materials, especially in the construction sector, and lower emissions of climate-damaging CO₂, are of outstanding ecological and economic importance. The use of ferrous slags makes an important contribution to this. EUROSLAG is working multilaterally to master the enormous challenges in the coming years, above all the transformation of the steel industry, through research and adjustments to national and European regulations.”