14 March 2025

Vietnam: Xuan Son Group held the launch ceremony for Xuan Son Cement at the Xuan Son cement plant in Hoa Binh province on 21 February 2025. The plant spans 40 hectares, with a US$196m investment and a production capacity of 3.5Mt/yr. The plant integrates Polysius grinding technology, Flender transmission systems, Haver & Boecker automated packaging technology and electrical equipment and motors from Pfeiffer, Vacuum and ABB. Heat consumption is below 680kCal/kg of clinker, and electricity consumption is under 71kW/t of cement, according to the company. The plant uses refuse-derived fuel in the kiln, as well as waste heat recovery to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. It aims for zero NO_x and CO₂ emissions.

Poland: Cemex has signed an agreement with EDP Energia Poland to build solar installations at several of its sites, with a total capacity of over 14MW. The investment is part of its ‘Future in Action’ strategy to combat climate change.

New solar plants will be installed at Cemex's cement plants in Chełm, Rudniki, and Gdynia, as well as its ready-mix concrete plants in Mysłowice, Warsaw Annopol, Lublin, Szczecin, and Gdańsk. The concrete plant installations will begin operating in the second quarter of 2025, while the installations at the cement plants are scheduled to start generating power in the first quarter of 2026. EDP Energia Polska will install and manage the solar installations under a 15-year agreement, supplying renewable energy to Cemex facilities.

The Gambia: A recent cement shortage in the Greater Banjul Area and West Coast Region has been attributed to delays at the country’s main port, according to Omar Badjie, director of industry at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment. The disruption reportedly stemmed from a backlog at the Banjul port that left a key shipment from cement supplier Jah Oil waiting offshore.

“The issue wasn't production capacity,” Badjie said. “The port was congested, and Jah Oil's vessel had trouble berthing. That put pressure on the two other cement plants, Salam and Gacem, which couldn't meet the market's demand on their own.”

The government expedited a berth for Jah Oil's vessel, which docked last week with 38,000t of cement. However, supply constraints persist, with contractors reporting stalled projects and inflated prices.

Argentina: Cement production reached 0.74Mt in February 2025, up by 9% from 0.68Mt in February 2024, according to the Asociación de Fabricantes de Cemento Portland. Of this, exports contributed 8855t, from 5384t in February 2024, representing an increase of 64% year-on-year. Domestic cement consumption stood at 0.73Mt, an 8% rise from 0.68Mt in the same month of 2024. Of this, imports contributed 212t, a fall of 76% from 919t in February 2024. ​