August 2025

Germany: Opterra has started a public consultation process about expanding the limestone quarry for its integrated Wössingen cement plant near Walzbachtal in Baden Württemberg. The move follows the plant’s quarry at Lugenberg reaching its approved perimeter to the east. The subsidiary of Ireland-based CRH plans to find a location for a new quarry to open from around 2030. The company also wants to conduct exploratory drilling in the region for additional limestone deposits.

Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement plans to set up a ‘Sustainability Promotion Office’ in April 2021 as part of the company’s efforts towards carbon neutrality by 2050. It follows the company’s medium and long-term sustainability targets that were set in December 2020.

Kenya: Bamburi Cement, Savannah Cement, Ndovu Cement and Rai Cement have written to the National Treasury opposing a proposal by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) to raise tariffs on clinker imports to 25% from 10% at present or to implement at outright ban on imports. The cement producers say that increasing the tariffs would lead to unfair competition and destroy investments, according to the Kenyan Star newspaper. However, the KAA argues that the move will promote the manufacturing sector and create jobs.

Seddiq Hassani, the managing director of Bamburi Cement, said in a letter from the cement producers to the government, that they opposed the review at the current time but that they conceded that it was the right direction for the industry in the longer term to safeguard local manufacturing. He added that the four companies should be given a window of between four and five years to set up their own integrated plants to provide a predictable policy framework for investors.

Ukraine: Ukrcement, the Ukrainian cement association, has lobbied for cement to be excluded from a free trade agreement being arranged between Ukraine and Turkey. Pavel Kachur, the head of Ukrcement, said that he had informed the Ministry of Economy and the trade representative of Ukraine about the association’s view, according to Interfax-Ukraine. He said that the local cement sector was able to fully provide consumers with cement. He also noted the significantly higher cement production capacity in Turkey compared to Ukraine. In mid-2020 the Interdepartmental Commission for International Trade explored a complaint by local cement producers including Buzzi-Unicem subsidiary Dyckerhoff, HeidelbergCement subsidiary Kryvyi Rih Cement and CRH subsidiary Podilsky Cement into imports of cement from Turkey.

Taiwan: Taiwan Cement has announced plans to establish a super battery plant in Kaohsiung. The plant will produce high-charge-discharge nickel ternary batteries developed by the company’s subsidiaries TCC Green Energy and battery specialist E-Moli. The maximum total investment in the facility will be US$350m. The plant will be the first of its kind in Taiwan and will have a capacity of 1.8GW/yr in battery power.

Chair Nelson Chang said, "Everyone has only one nationality, Earth."

China: China National Building Materials (CNBM) has provided details of its subsidiaries’ efforts to prepare for the resumption of work following the end of the coronavirus outbreak in China and prevention of further outbreaks. The group set out 10 management measures, according to which its subsidiaries: implemented government and group regulations and requirements, took effective measures for work resumption, promoted Covid-19 awareness, formulated response measures, organised epidemic prevention and control, health-checked staff, provided sanitary equipment, controlled contact at work, including with outsiders, established isolation sites and disposed of hazardous materials.

The group said, “Each subsidiary overcame difficulties such as shortage of raw materials for production, poor transportation of products, difficulty in controlling the personnel that pick up goods in plant, and shortage of anti-epidemic materials to coordinate and promote the resumption of production.” It added, “The resumption of production has stabilised the enterprise's efficiency and staff, and maintained the orderly connection of the production chain of the whole building materials industry. We believe that as long as we have firm confidence, withstand the pressure and redouble our efforts, we will be able to minimise the adverse impact of the epidemic and make positive contributions to the stable development of economy and society.”

Azerbaijan: Holcim Azerbaijan, part of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim, has launched its participation in the Azerbaijan Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources’ National Green Marathon with the planting of 1000 trees at its Garadagh cement plant. Turan Information Agency News has reported that the initiative aims to plant 1 million trees nationally in 2021.

Technical director Ali Huseynov said, "We have a common goal and value - sustainable development. We should apply principles of sustainability in each work and in every step. We are ready to demonstrate our best practices in environmental protection.” He added, “Our work is not over. We should also care for these trees and install an irrigation system. For this purpose, the work necessary for treatment and use of the wastewater in the irrigation system has started, and with this we can save clean water, contributing to the environmental protection."

Russia: Holdings company Smikom has won the auction to buy Eurocement from Sberbank. RBC News has reported the value of the deal as Euro2.1bn. Smikom, formerly known as BaselCement, will acquire a 100% share of Cyprus-based GFI Investments, which controls Eurocement Group. The final terms of the deal are still being agreed, according to sources quoted by the Russia-based media group. Neither Sberbank nor SmiKom have commented on the matter.

Sberbank acquired a 100% stake in GFI Investment in November 2020 following an increase in its debts in mid-2020. An electronic auction process for company then started in February 2021.

Eurocement is the largest cement producer in Russia operating 10 plants domestically and abroad.

Poland: Lafarge Poland, part of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim, has begun the demolition of part of its 2.0Mt/yr Małogoszcz cement plant in Świętokrzyskie voivodeship. The work proceeded with the company taking down one of the plant’s 120m-high chimneys.

Industrial director Stanislaw Sobczyk said that the new Małogoszcz cement plant would “rise like a Phoenix from the ashes” of the old. The plant’s two chimneys were a local landmark and appeared on the logo of the former Małogoszcz Cement Company.

India: Aditya Birla subsidiary Grasim Industries has raised US$136m through fully paid unsecured non-convertible debentures (NCDs). The company has allotted the NCDs on a private placement basis.