August 2025

Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued supplemental guidelines for the certification of cement. The regulations require producers or importers to follow conditions set by the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), according to the Manila Times newspaper. The new rules require producers or importers to post a bond ahead of trading. Non-compliance with the certification rules can then lead to a forfeit of some or all of the bond. Not following the regulations can also lead to a producer or importer being prevented from supplying, distributing, selling or displaying their products. The new rules specify that an importer should apply for a statement of confirmation (SOC) on a per product, per shipment, per bill of lading basis prior to its distribution in the market.

Morocco: Data from the Ministry of Housing shows that cement sales fell by 3.6% year-on-year to 13.3Mt in 2018. This is the lowest level of consumption since 2007, according to Médias 24. Cement sales fell by 0.7% in 2016 and by 2.54% in 2017.

Germany: Spenner has ordered a grinding plant from Christian Pfeiffer to be built at its main site in Erwitte. The unit will include a Ø 4.4 m x 14.0 m ball mill and a QDK 187-Z cross-flow rotating cage separator. In addition to the grinding plant, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project also includes the planning of steel and concrete constructions as well as electrical switchgears.

Christian Pfeiffer is also responsible for the manufacture, delivery and optimum coordination of all associated components such as filter systems, bucket elevator, fans, chutes, samplers, reject transport and additional silos for additives. Staff training and performance test procedures carried out by the Christian Pfeiffer employees on site are also part of the commissioning of the plant.

Indonesia: Indocement has opened its Lampung terminal and packing plant following its successful commissioning. The unit can process 1000t/day of cement and pack 1500t/day. The new terminal is intended to strengthen the company’s market position in Sumatra.

India: Adani Group plans to build an integrated cement plant at Lakhpat in Gujarat as part of a US$7.7bn investment in multiple projects in the state. Other projects include the world’s largest solar park and a lithium battery plant, according to the Press Trust of India. Adani Group is an integrated infrastructure conglomerate with interests in resources, logistics, energy, agriculture, real estate, public transport infrastructure, consumer finance and defence sectors.

Nepal: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has laid a foundation stone of a dry port project being built at Chobar near Kathmandu. The port is being built on an 11.77 hectare site allocated by Himal Cement, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The project has a cost of US$13.3m. It is scheduled for completion in mid-2020. Once operational the new dry port is expected to relieve pressure on the Birgunj dry port.

Iraq: Germany’s MAN Energy has commissioned six MAN 18V32/40 generator sets for Kairat Al Abar Iraqi’s new cement plant in Samawa. The engines will supply 54MW of electrical energy for the plant. No value for the order has been disclosed.

Tunisia: Al Karama Holding says that that sale of a 50.5% share in Carthage Cement has been delayed following the latest round of bidding. The latest round of bids was extended to 7 December 2018 from 6 July 2018, according to local media. However, none of the pre-selected bidders were able to submit a qualifying financial offer. Some of the investors have contacted Al Karama Holding to confirm their interest in the purchase subject to certain conditions.

Uganda: The local government has allocated more than 228 hectares of land for the construction of a new cement plant. The land was offered to the Uganda Development Cooperation-UDC and its partners TSAVO Engineers and Savanna Mines in November 2018, according to the Ugandan Independent newspaper. However, the local community has expressed concerns about the project.

US: Conveyor Components Company has released VA and VAX models, a bucket elevator alignment control product, to its product line of conveyor controls and accessories. The VA and VAX are designed to indicate when the head or boot section of a bucket elevator drifts too far out of alignment. They can be used to signal a problem or simply shut down the bucket elevator leg. This control device has a sequential two-pole double-break microswitch rated for 20A at 120VAC, 240VAC or 480VAC. The metal roller is bi-directional, and designed to survive in difficult environments.