13 June 2023

UK: Cemcor has installed a new US$7.54m bag filter at its Cookstown cement plant in County Tyrone. The system will detect signs of bag damage and isolate the affected row of bags for either online maintenance or, if the damage is minor, resealing with process dust.

The Irish News has reported that managing director David Millar said “We are forward thinking at Cemcor and understood it was time to put our money on the line and invest in the plant's efficiencies and sustainable outputs, to protect the environment around us and future-proof the plant itself."

Bolivia: State-owned gas and oil company YPFB has commenced gas supply to Potosí via its Sucre-Potosí gas pipeline, which underwent a 32% capacity expansion to 4.15Mm³/day. Página Siete News has reported that the expansion cost US$5.8m. YPFB said that it can now increase gas allocations in accordance with customers' contracts.

Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia (ECEBOL) is scheduled to commission its upcoming 1.3Mt/yr Potosí cement plant in June 2023. YPFB holds a contract to supply 337,000m³/yr of natural gas to the plant. YPFB says that the expanded Sucre-Potosí pipeline will help to boost cement production in Bolivia, both to supply domestic demand and to establish an export market.

Switzerland: The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, addressed a meeting of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) in Zürich, Switzerland, on 13 June 2023. Guterres reiterated the role of cement as 'fundamental to building a better world.' He called on GCCA members to realise the association's 2050 Net Zero Roadmap in order to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C.

Guterres said “Science tells us that requires cutting global greenhouse emissions by almost half by 2030. That means taking a quantum leap in climate action – and slashing global emissions. Starting now.”

GCCA Thomas Guillot said “We applaud all the action our members are taking to implement carbon-cutting measures, and the latest data show emissions are coming down. But many challenges remain, which we must overcome, if we are to achieve net zero, including enabling polices and regulations from governments across the world which often don’t yet exist.” He added "I urge every manufacturer across the world who has not yet done so to join our pledge to eliminate emissions by 2050, But I also implore all governments to work with our essential industry, to deliver the policy framework that can create the favourable conditions to unlock the transition.”

Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA) has called for a 60% cut to duties on clinker imports, to US$1.84/t from US$4.61/t. The Financial Express newspaper has reported that BCMA members are struggling with high shipping costs and supply issues due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Bangladesh government published plans to raise the duty on imports of clinker by 40% to US$6.46/t in its 2023 budget on 13 June 2023.

Myanmar: The new port of Sittwe in Rakhine State, which opened on 9 May 2023, has received a shipment of 20,000 bags of Indian cement. Press Trust of India News has reported that the shipment left Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, West Bengal, in May 2023.