August 2025

UK: Tarmac plans to restructure the distribution model for its cement and lime division. Following a strategic review it will move to a regional model for both bulk and packed cement distribution, which have previously operated on a national basis. Tarmac’s own fleet operations will handle around 50% of bulk cement and 20% of packed cement distribution, supported by five regional distribution providers selected through a procurement process.

“Our supply chain and logistics operations are crucial to maintaining Tarmac Cement and Lime’s position as the UK’s market leader. The new regional transport operating model will provide enhanced resilience, flexibility, service, cost and safety for our customers, who trust us to deliver the products they need to realise major projects,” said Mike Eberlin, managing director at Tarmac Cement and Lime.

Tarmac Cement and Lime’s regional distribution partners will be engaged on new five-year logistics contracts effective from December 2018. They are Abbey Logistics (bulk cement – Scotland), Pollocks (packed cement – Scotland & North), Lomas Distribution (bulk and packed cement – Central), Wincanton (bulk and packed cement – South West), Stobarts (bulk and packed cement – South East) and Proctors (packed cement – Barnstone).

Tarmac’s Lime & Powders operation will remain fully subcontracted on a national basis to Lomas Distribution (bulk lime and powders and lime tippers) and RR Andrews (powder tipper operations).

There will be no change to customer order arrangements.

India: Gujarat Sidhee Cement has temporarily suspended operations at its Sidheegram plant in Gujarat due to heavy rain. It said that suspension was a ‘precautionary measure.’ All operations of the kiln and upstream equipment has been stopped. However, cement grinding and despatch will constine to operate.

India: Shree Digvijay’s income rose by 11% year-on-year to US$17m in the quarter to 30 June 2018 from US$15.4m in the same period in 2017. It profit for the period increased by nearly four times to US$0.86m from US$0.22m.

India: Roads and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has threatened implementing price controls on cement. He blamed problems his ministry has faced building concrete roads on alleged price collusion, according to the Telegraph India newspaper. During questions at the Indian Parliament he said that if cement producers did not ‘fall in line’ then he would propose placing cement under the Essential Commodities Act.

Ivory Coast: LafargeHolcim Ivory Coast has launched Bélier SuperBéton. The 52.5N strength cement product offers high resistance. It has been specially developed for concrete applications with increased compatibility with admixtures.

Cuba: The Nuevitas cement plant expects to produce 0.12Mt of cement in 2018. Nearly 80% of this output will be used to build houses, according to the Adelante newspaper. The plant serves the Camagüey province as well as Las Tunas, Granma and Ciego de Ávila.

Turkey: Sabanci Group, the controlling shareholder of Çimsa Cement, is in talks to sell three of the cement producer’s plants. It is considering divesting integrated plants at Kayseri, Nigde and Ladik, according to sources quoted by Reuters. The company operates five integrated plants and a grinding plant.

Bolivia: Soboce (Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento) has inaugurated a new vertical grinding mill at its Viache integrated plant. Together with its other integrated plants at Oruro and Tarija and a grinding plant at Santa Cruz the company now has a cement production capacity of 2.9Mt/yr, according to the Diario Pagina Siete newspaper. The upgrade cost US$85m. Soboce ordered an OK 36-4 vertical roller mill from Denmark’s FLSmidth for the project. To coincide with the new mill the company will also launch ‘Viacha LP12 Insuperable,’ a new cement product.

Mexico: The Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (PROFEPA) awarded an Recognition of Environmental Excellence to 12 Cemex cement plants. The award is presented to companies that demonstrate a continuous commitment to protect the environment. The plants that were recognised were: Atotonilco in Hidalgo; Barrientos in Mexico State; Ensenada in Baja California; Huichapan in Hidalgo; Mérida, in Yucatan; Monterrey in Nuevo León; Tamuín in San Luis Potosí; Tepeaca in Puebla; Torreón, in Coahuila; Valles in San Luis Potosí; Yaqui, in Sonora; and Zapotiltic, in Jalisco.

Iran: Cement exports grew by 4.6% year-on-year to 3.6Mt in the first quarter of the local financial year to 21 June 2018. It exported cement to 27 countries to including Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, according to the Trend News Agency. The country produced 54.7Mt in the previous reporting year, a decline of 1.5% year-on-year. The local cement industry has faced problems, including a recession in the construction sector, poor gas supplies and obstacles to its export markets.