07 November 2025

India: Cement and clinker transport from Meghalaya has been at a complete standstill since 27 October 2025, as members of the newly formed Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners Association (MCTOA) continue their protest, according to local press. The strike has impacted despatches from all major cement plants in the Jaintia Hills, leading to a reported cement shortage across Meghalaya and neighbouring northeastern states.

The MCTOA launched the protest to demand that government-notified transport rates be extended to inter-state transportation outside Meghalaya. The protest has reportedly disrupted supply chains and halted plant despatches, with thousands of workers and transporters affected by the shutdown of all cement plants in the region.

In a statement issued on 6 November 2025, the Jaintia Hills Cement Manufacturing Association (JHCMA) described the strike as ‘unjustified and economically damaging,’ adding that it has caused ‘significant losses and hardship’. The association urged authorities to ‘take immediate steps to restore normalcy, ensure the safe movement of goods and safeguard the interests of the industrial sector.’

Iraq: Operations have officially commenced at the VAN Cement Plant, according to Van Company for Industrial Investment and General Trading. The facility has a clinker production capacity of 7000t/yr and produces a range of cement types, including sulphate-resistant cement, ordinary Portland cement and CEM II. The plant will reportedly help to meet Iraq’s growing domestic demand for cement.

France: Titan Group has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire Vracs de L’Estuaire, which operates a grinding plant at the port of Le Havre in northern France. The acquisition would strengthen Titan’s presence in the French market, building on its existing operations in Marseille. The transaction remains subject to customary legal procedures and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.

India: Kaushalya Logistics has opened three new depots in Uttar Pradesh for JK Cement. The new facilities are located in Fatehpur (Choudagra), Unnao (Radhaganj), and Balia (Rasara), are expected to handle around 3000t/month of cement.