14 May 2025

Switzerland/US: Holcim’s shareholders have approved all proposals at the group’s annual general meeting in Zug, Switzerland. A key proposal was the planned spin-off of the producer’s North American business as US-based Amrize. Holcim will now make a special distribution of one Amrize share for every Holcim share. Amrize shares are due to list on the SIX Swiss Exchange the New York Stock Exchange as AMRZ from June 2025.

Holcim says that over 99% of voters favoured the spin-off proposal.

Iraq: Lucky Cement has expanded its clinker production at its joint venture Najmat Al-Samawah plant in Samawah with a new 1.82Mt/yr line, with the kiln successfully firing on 13 May 2025, according to a company announcement published on 14 May 2025. Lucky Cement said that it is also building a 0.65Mt/yr cement grinding plant at the site, due for commissioning in early 2026.

The producer said that the new capacity will enable it to supply more cement to the local market, with surplus marketed and sold domestically. These additions will bring Lucky Cement’s total consolidated production capacity to 21.48Mt/yr, across operations in Pakistan, Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos recorded sales of 7.7Mt of cement in the first quarter of 2025, up by 2% year-on-year. Revenues rose by 1% year-on-year in local currency terms, to US$998m. The producer partly attributed the growth to its on-going geographical diversification. Nonetheless, its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 14% year-on-year to US$107m, resulting in a net loss of US$58m. Votorantim Cimentos invested US$97.6m in capital expenditure during the quarter, including commencing kiln upgrades at its Alconera and Málaga plants in Spain, up by 35% year-on-year. It expects to commission its newly expanded Salto de Pirapora and Edealina cement plants in Brazil later in 2025 and in early 2026 respectively.

CEO Osvaldo Ayres said “Our financial strength and discipline in capital allocation have enabled us to navigate this volatile global environment. At the same time, we continued to maintain our focus on the long term through our programme of investments in capacity expansion, structural competitiveness and acceleration of new businesses.”

Tanzania: Cement production reached 10.9Mt in 2024 against domestic demand of 8.5Mt/yr, according to Industry and Trade Minister Seleman Jafo. The Guardian newspaper reports that the resulting surplus of 2.43Mt was exported to Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique, Burundi, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. Key exporters included Dangote Industries, Tanzania Portland Cement, Lake Cement, Mbeya Cement and Tanga Cement. The sector reportedly created 12,500 jobs, comprising 5220 direct and 17,280 indirect roles.

UK: John King Chains has been honoured with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade - its first King’s Award, following a Queen’s Award in 2020.

The award was officially announced on Tuesday 6 May 2025, and John King Chains is delighted to be one of just 197 organisations nationally recognised this year for outstanding achievement.

Founded in 1926 and headquartered in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire, John King Chains has built a proud legacy of engineering excellence. Now a fifth-generation family-owned manufacturer, the company continues to experience strong international growth, supported by ongoing investment in its people and British manufacturing facilities.

Managing Director William Wadsworth commented:

"Receiving the King’s Award is a truly proud moment for everyone at John King Chains, and we are honoured to receive this prestigious accolade, particularly as the company approaches its 100-year anniversary next year of British manufacturing. It reflects the incredible effort our team puts in every day to deliver world-class products and services to our international customer base."

International markets have been a key driver of growth for John King Chains group, with the company continuing to achieve year-on-year expansion. Today, operations span four continents, enabling the business to better serve customers worldwide.

Continued investment in people, technology and UK manufacturing facilities has been fundamental to John King Chains' international success. As the company prepares to celebrate its centenary, winning the King’s Award marks a powerful milestone that highlights what can be achieved through hard work, innovation and dedication.

Now in its 59th year, the King’s Awards for Enterprise are the United Kingdom’s most prestigious business accolades and a globally recognised mark of excellence, making this achievement a proud moment in John King Chains' history and a testament to the commitment and passion of its entire team.

Brazil: Cement sales fell by 3% year-on-year in April 2025 to 5.2Mt, according to preliminary data from the National Cement Industry Union (SNIC). However, sales for the first four months of 2025 rose by 4% year-on-year. Sales per business day averaged 237,000t in April 2025, down by 4% from March 2025 but up by 6% from April 2024. In the period of January - April 2025, sales-per-day grew by 6.5% year-on-year.

Confidence in construction fell to its lowest level since March 2022 amid high interest rates, rising defaults and household debt. Construction firms have also reportedly cited concerns over labour shortages and reduced real estate inventories. The sector remains moderately optimistic, supported by housing and infrastructure projects.