September 2025

UK: A fire broke out at Cemex’s 1.8Mt/yr integrated Rugby plant at 02:00 on 6 November 2019. BBC News has reported that operations were unaffected and none of the plant’s 180 employees injured by the fire, which was caused by a mechanical malfunction in a machine belt conveying raw materials. The fire spread over three floors of the plant’s preheater tower.

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) has announced its involvement in the establishment of an innovation hub at the National Science and Development Agency in Pathum Thai. The Bangkok Post has reported that the development will cost US$14.3m. SCG’s partner for the project is the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a 100-site, 70,000-member body established under the Chinese Government’s Belt and Road foreign investment Initiative. When operational, it will market new products, initially consisting of petrochemicals, energy storage and batteries and smart cities.

High-value-added products and services made up 39% of SCG’s total sales in 2018 of US$15.7bn (US$6.11). It spent US$0.15bn on research and innovation over the period, around 1.0% of total revenue.

Nigeria: Abia Cement, Russian-based Drobmash and Energomotor and Czech-based PSP Engineering signed a memorandum of understanding for construction of a 2.0Mt/yr integrated cement plant in Abia province at the first Russia-Africa Summit on 2 November 2019. The latter companies will supply equipment to the development, while Abia cement will receive an export loan from Russia’s Roseximbank.

India: Tamil Nadu Cement has constructed a second 1.0Mt/yr production line at its 0.7Mt/yr Ariyalur cement plant, bringing its total capacity to 1.7Mt/yr. Projects Today has reported that Tamil Nadu Cement, which also operates a 0.4Mt/yr integrated cement plant in Alangulam, will employ 250 at the second line, the development of which will cost US$115m. In the 12 months to 31 March 2019, Tamil Nadu Cement sold 74% of cement produced at its plants (0.4Mt) to the Rural Development Agency and other government departments at lower than market rate.

Jordan: 21.8% state-owned Jordan Cement, 50.3% subsidiary of LafargeHolcim, has laid off 200 of its 550 employees after incurring losses of US$87m in the nine months to 30 September 2019. Reuters has reported that the company, whose 2018 losses were US$48.9m, up by 4.0% year-on-year from US$47.0m in 2017, made the sackings ‘to ensure its continuity,’ according to Jordan Cement CEO Samaan Samaan. The company has operated a single line at its 2.0Mt/yr integrated Rashadiyah cement plant since the closure of its 2.0Mt/yr Fuhais plant in 2013. The country’s 9Mt/yr-capacity cement sector serves a domestic demand of 4Mt/yr.

USA: Cemex USA’s 0.9Mt/yr integrated Clinchfield cement plant has received a Sentinels of Safety Award from the National Mining Association, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, US Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement and Bureau of Land Management for safety and environmental stewardship at its associated quarry. PR Newswire has reported that the plant and quarry operated for a total of 200,000 hours in 2018 without any employee sustaining a lost-time injury (LTI). Cemex USA president Jaime Muguiro said “Our Clinchfield operations serve as a strong example of what we can accomplish with safety as a number one priority.”

Germany: Siemens has announced what it calls a ‘plant lifetime-increasing’ Simotics HV M slipring motor for mills, crushers, conveyors or fans. The 4.5MW motor fills the gap in Siemens’ slipring range with powers between 0.5MW and 8.2MW. The product uses Global Vacuum Impregnation Technology to increase reliability, giving maximum plant reliability. Siemens Large Drives Applications CEO Hermann Kleinod said “The motors can be easily integrated using 3D-model data.”

Indonesia: Semen Indonesia has reported revenues of US$2.00bn in the nine months to 30 September 2019, up by 31% from US$1.53bn in the corresponding period of 2018. The Group’s acquisition of Holcim Indonesia in February 2019 expanded its domestic cement production capacity to 39.4Mt/yr, which it says has bolstered its competetiveness against importers in a crowded domestic market.

The company recorded US$91.7m in profit over the period, down by 38% year-on-year from US$148m as its foreign sections failed to grow.

Ireland: CRH has concluded a deal with an unspecified party for the sale of CRH Europe Distribution for Euro1.64bn. The Financial Times reported in July 2019 that private equity funds managed by American-based Blackstone would buy the company’s European distribution division. CRH will reportedly use the proceeds of sale for future acquisitions including its own share buyback programme.

Pakistan: The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers’ Association has released figures showing a total cement output of 4.98Mt in October 2019, up by 9.2% from 4.56Mt in October 2018. Business Recorder recorded that this is a national record for monthly despatches; the second month of growth following year-on-year falls in July and August 2019. Exports continued to rise, to 0.79Mt, up by 28% from 0.62Mt in October 2018.