August 2025

India: JK Cement has entered the East Indian market with the official launch of its grey cement business in Bihar. The company's initial phase targets nine districts in Southern Bihar, introducing its flagship JK Super Cement.

Deputy managing director and CEO Madhavkrishna Singhania said “Our initial focus will be on covering nine districts of Southern Bihar. With the upcoming Prayagraj plant coming online, we plan to swiftly expand our reach to encompass other districts in the near future. Additionally, we are actively exploring the possibility of setting up a plant in Bihar by 2025, further solidifying our commitment to the region."

Thailand: Saraburi, which houses Thailand’s key cement plants, is expected to start converting waste to energy in a project led by the Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA). TCMA has developed a pilot project to create ‘ignitable waste pallets’, which will replace imported coal in cement production, according to TCMA chair Dr Chana Poomee. The process involves using waste from mining, cement plants and local communities to produce fuel, focusing on waste that cannot be reused or recycled.

Seven cement plants are located in the Tan Diao subdistrict due to its proximity to limestone mountains essential for cement production. The province is facing a growing waste management problem, owing to urbanisation and the expansion of agribusiness in the area. ‘Saraburi Sandbox’ project, a public-private-people partnership (PPP), seeks to address these issues.

Kittipong Promwong, president of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Office, believes the Saraburi Sandbox is crucial to the government's commitment to lowering CO₂ emissions.

China: A new study from Hong Kong Polytechnic University showcases sustainable cement production methods, focusing on low-clinker cements and alternative solutions for incinerator fly ash (IFA). The research demonstrates that using carbonated-washed IFA mixed with slag, coal fly ash, or metakaolin can replace 60% of Portland cement, forming ternary blended cement. This approach reportedly reduces the carbon footprint of cement production.

The study found that slag was the most effective, improving pore structure and increasing ettringite and hemicarboaluminate formation with a blend of 40% slag and 20% IFA. It achieved 90% of the compressive strength of pure Portland cement after 90 days.

The researchers said "This study demonstrated the promising potential of the blended cements to simultaneously divert IFA from landfills and reduce the clinker content of cement."

Philippines: A recent study from Cebu, Philippines presents a method for reducing greenhouse emissions in the cement industry. The research, supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DOST) of the Philippines, focuses on partially substituting cement with coal fly ash (CFA). According to the University of San Carlos researchers, CFA's efficacy as a cement substitute depends on its source, with variations in quality, performance, and water requirements when used in paste and mortar formulations.

The study evaluated CFA from a Philippine power plant, examining its use as a partial cement substitute. Researchers designed paste and mortar mixtures with different CFA-to-binder ratios and water-to-binder ratios. The study revealed that increasing the amount of CFA in cement up to 20% by weight could enhance compressive strength, ‘outperforming’ pure cement mixtures.

The study concluded that substituting a portion of cement with CFA not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also improves the compressive strength of the resultant material.

Thailand: Chair of the Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA), Dr Chana Poomee, announced the company’s new strategy, called 'TCMA Synergising the Actions toward Net Zero 2050'. This strategy aims to drive the cement industry towards clean energy transition, connect with global green funds and address climate change.

The vision involves four key missions for 2024-2026, including developing low-carbon cement, enhancing resource-efficient mining practices, building an integrated waste-to-value ecosystem, and transitioning to clean energy.

The TCMA also aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 6.9Mt/yr by 2030. Collaborations with various partners, including the Thailand Fellowship Cement Manufacturers and the Thai Bankers Association, are planned to leverage innovation and government policy support.

Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan produced 1.35Mt of cement in January and February 2024. This production volume shows a year-on-year increase of 50%. In February 2024, the country produced 724,700t of cement.

France: Heidelberg Materials has announced plans to close two of its plants in France - Beffes and Villiers-au-Bouin - by October 2025. This move is part of the company's restructuring efforts aimed at accelerating its decarbonisation efforts and focusing more on low-carbon products.

The decision comes amid a decline in cement sales in France, attributed to weak demand in the construction sector. 170 employees are affected by the impending closures of these plants, according to the company.

These closures align with Heidelberg Materials' commitment to focus on lower carbon alternatives, enhance energy efficiency, increase the use of alternative fuels, and reduce the clinker content in its cement products in France.

China:  The UK-based Carbon Disclosure Project Carbon Majors database has released its Carbon Majors Database. The database quantifies the historical CO₂ emissions of 122 of the world's major emitters, among them the Chinese cement sector.

Notably, China's cement industry has been a significant contributor to global emissions. In the period up to the end of 2022, China's cement sector has produced 23,161Mt of CO₂, accounting for 1.3% of the global emissions recorded during this period. From 2016 to 2022, the cement industry in China emitted 8.16Bnt of CO₂, accounting for 3.2% of global emissions.

Figures for the cement sector include process emissions from the calcination of limestone, but exclude emissions from fuel and electricity used in production.

Poland: The Association of Polish Cement Producers has expressed increasing concern over quadrupled year-on-year growth in cement imports from Ukraine, to 330,000t in 2023.

Zbigniew Pilch, the head of the association, highlighted the contrasting rise in imports and 12% fall in domestic production, to 16.6Mt. He said “The scale of imports from Ukraine is growing almost every month, reaching nearly 50% of total imports in January 2024. These volumes are deeply concerning.”

A primary issue raised by the association is the difference in environmental regulations faced by Ukrainian and Polish cement producers. The association argues that Ukrainian producers are not subjected to as rigorous climate policies as Polish producers, leading to an uneven playing field. Additionally, the localised nature of the cement market means eastern Polish producers are particularly affected by the ‘influx’ of Ukrainian cement.

US: Holcim US has announced an investment of US$20.5m in its Midwest operations. A key component of the investment is the new 35m-high cement storage dome in Fremont, Nebraska, which will increase its production capacity of ECOPlanet low-carbon cement. The dome has the capacity to store 50,000t of cement. Construction of the dome, which began in 2021, has contributed to local economic development and job creation at the terminal.

In line with the Nebraska Department of Transportation's blended cement requirement, the cement blended and distributed at the terminal incorporates natural pozzolan, a binding agent, to produce a lower carbon product compared to ordinary Portland cement.