August 2025

Peru: Cementos Pacasmayo has appointed Ely Hayashi as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with effect from 1 April 2025. She will succeed Manuel Ferreyros in the post, who has been CFO since 2008.

Hayashi has worked for Cementos Pacasmayo since 2005, when she started as a Management Control Analyst intern. She subsequently became Head of Management Control in 2011 and then the Central Manager of Finance and Management Control in 2022. She holds a degree in business administration from the Universidad del Pacífico in Lima and an International Master of Business Administration from the IE Business School.

Germany: KHD will carry out a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for the new oxyfuel kiln at Heidelberg Materials' Geseke cement plant, part of the GeZero carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. The project will capture and store around 0.7Mt/yr of CO₂.

Matthias Mersmann, chief technology officer at KHD, said "At KHD, we have long recognised oxyfuel technology’s potential for cement decarbonisation and are well-positioned to contribute to this important flagship project.”

India: Ambuja Cements will merge its recently acquired companies, Sanghi Industries and Penna Cement Industries. Ambuja Cements purchased Sanghi Industries in December 2023 and Penna Cement in August 2024. Ambuja Cements holds a 58% share in Sanghi Industries and 99.94% share in Penna Cement. The transaction is expected to be completed within 9-12 months, according to the Deccan Herald.

Australia: Maribyrnong council has unanimously rejected a proposal to expand Steel Cement's Yarraville plant. The US$113m expansion proposal involved the construction of new sheds, a workshop and two grinding mills for 24-hour clinker grinding, according to Star Weekly. The plan faced strong local opposition, with 109 objections citing environmental and amenity concerns. Lisel Thomas from the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group stated that pollution was already a big problem in the area, and would worsen following the expansion, while Steel Cement argued the expansion would offer environmental benefits, since its proximity to the Port of Melbourne would remove ‘1500 truck movements for every ship that arrives.’

Steel Cement was reportedly ‘disappointed but not surprised’ by the council’s decision.

Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstan has lifted the temporary ban on the import of various types of cement. The Cabinet of Ministers signed a resolution to allow the import of Portland cement, aluminous cement, slag cement and similar hydraulic cements, in ready form or as clinker.

Mozambique: President Filipe Nyusi has inaugurated a grinding plant in Niassa Province, northern Mozambique, valued at US$20m. The plant has the capacity to produce 0.2Mt/yr of Portland cement, according to Club of Mozambique news.

Nyusi said the plant would supply Niassa and neighbouring provinces, including Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Tete, improving competitiveness in the northern market and reducing reliance on imports impacted by exchange rates. The plant is expected to lower market and transport costs, particularly for remote districts.

Present Nyusi said “It [the plant] already has 100 workers, which means that 500 people will benefit directly from this plant in terms of income, and many more will benefit indirectly.”

The first stone for the construction of the plant was laid back in October 2018 by former Niassa governor Arlindo Chilundo.

Jamaica: Caribbean Cement Company has reached a milestone in its kiln expansion project with the installation of a 160t-capacity surge bin and solid fuel equipment.

The development ensures a stable and increased fuel supply to the kiln during cement production, according to Loop News.

Jorge Martinez, managing director of Caribbean Cement, said “The successful installation marks a significant step forward in enhancing our production capabilities. This investment is a main milestone of the expansion project to be completed in the first half of 2025 with the aim of increasing the efficiency and stability of our operations. It also demonstrates our commitment to meeting the local demand for cement.”

India: UltraTech Cement has begun transporting mineral gypsum via National Waterway 1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system) in a pilot project supported by the Inland Waterways Authority of India and Inland & Coastal Shipping, a Shipping Corporation of India subsidiary.

The consignment is being shipped from Haldia port, West Bengal, to the Gaighat terminal in Patna, Bihar. It will then be transported to UltraTech’s Pataliputra Cement Works grinding unit in Bihar. UltraTech is reportedly the first Indian cement company to utilise National Waterway 1 for large-scale gypsum transport, with the aim to cut CO₂ emissions and ease congestion on roads and railways.

Vietnam: Vietnam National Cement Corporation (Vicem) has reported consolidated losses for the second consecutive year, of US$55.15m, according to a draft annual report by the Ministry of Construction. Vicem is the only company among six under the ministry to report losses in 2024, with a consolidated loss of US$55.15m due to ‘unfavourable market conditions’, according to The Investor magazine. Its parent company’s loss reached US$9.33m. In 2023, it reported its first-ever loss of US$44.5m amid a drop in demand following the 2016 economic slowdown. By the end of 2023, cumulative losses reached US$88.24m.

The Ministry of Finance's inspection department recently highlighted capital loss risks in Vicem’s subsidiary investments, requiring provisions exceeding US$118.2m. Inspectors have urged the company to assess the financial performance of underperforming businesses.

Global: The World Cement Association has released a white paper titled ‘Long-Term Forecast for Cement and Clinker Demand’, authored by CEO Ian Riley. The paper predicts a global decline in cement demand to 3Bnt/yr by 2050, with clinker demand dropping to 1.5Bnt/yr.

The report attributes the decline to decarbonisation, technological advancements and market dynamics, with the need for carbon capture and storage consequently reduced.

Ian Riley said “The cement industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. As we move towards a decarbonised future, understanding the true demand for cement and clinker is critical to ensuring that policies, technologies and investments align with reality. This white paper aims to provide industry leaders and policymakers with the clarity needed to plan effectively and sustainably.”

The analysis also explores disruptive factors such as alternative materials, supply chain optimisation and clinker-free technologies, presenting three scenarios to guide stakeholders in adapting to industry changes and fostering innovation.