Brazil: China-based Huaxin Cement has signed a deal worth US$187m to buy aggregates producer Embu. Embu owns four quarries in the metropolitan region of São Paulo with a production capacity of nearly 9Mt/yr, according to the Rio Times newspaper. In 2023 it produced 6.3Mt and reported a net profit of around US$3.2m.

India: One person has died and five sustained injuries in a disaster at Adani Group subsidiary Penna Cement’s Yadiki cement plant in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur District. The Hindu newspaper has reported that an incident of an unspecified nature occurred on the night of 18 December 2024.

Anantapur’s Industrial Safety Committee is compiling a report for the district collector, who may take action against any party at fault.

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has asked the US Department of Energy to add alternative fuels to its Material Circularity Framework. It said that alternative fuels in the cement manufacturing process are better for the environment than the use of traditional fuels and that it diverted a significant amount of materials from landfill. The PCA said that the DOE’s Framework “…should address how to promote circularity through alternative fuels and replacement of raw materials to promote reducing greenhouse gases emissions.”

The DOE released its draft strategic framework ‘Circularity for Secure and Sustainable Products and Materials’ in October 2024. It asked for feedback from stakeholders by mid-December 2024. The framework is intended to identify opportunities and challenges to use circularity to decarbonise industry, secure supply chains, benefit communities and create jobs. The draft mentions recycling concrete and generating secondary cementitious materials from recovered material streams.

Spain: According to the latest data from Oficemen, cement consumption in Spain recorded an average increase of 1.8% in 2024, after rising by 4.3% in November 2024. The figures align with the 1.3% growth observed from January to October 2024. November's boost brought the monthly consumption to 1.34Mt nearly 56,000t more than in November 2023. Despite a 41% growth in exports in November 2024, adding 154,387t, an 8.8% year-on-year decline. From January to November 2024, Spain exported 4.54Mt of cement, 0.44Mt or 9.7% less than the same period in 2023.

Aniceto Zaragoza, general director of Oficemen, said "These positive figures are in line with the forecasts we gave at the beginning of 2024, where we expected a moderate recovery towards the end of the year. With 11 months of data now available, it is not risky to predict that we will close the year with slight positive growth, as we anticipated in January 2024. This trend makes us look at 2025 with some optimism, expecting a more solid increase in consumption."

Kenya: Holcim has completed the divestment of its Kenyan operations by selling its entire 58.6% stake in Bamburi Cement to Amsons Group. The transaction has resulted in cash proceeds of over US$100m for Holcim, according to the company's press release.

Greece: Heracles, part of the Holcim Group, has signed a front-end engineering design contract (FEED) with Air Liquide for CO₂ capture, liquefaction, storage and dispatch facilities at the Heracles plant in Milaki, as part of the Olympus carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. The project will enable the plant to capture and store 1Mt/yr of CO₂ and is scheduled for full operation in 2029. The captured CO₂ will be liquefied and transported by sea to the offshore sequestration facility in Prinos in the northern part of the Aegean Sea.

UK/Ireland: France-based Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has launched a strategic licensing agreement with UK partner Cemblend, furthering its international expansion strategy. The deal builds on an existing partnership established in 2022 for the launch of Hoffmann’s 0% clinker cements, with the partners aiming to accelerate the decarbonisation of the construction sectors in the UK and Ireland. Under the terms of the agreement, Hoffmann Green will receive up to €2m in entry fees and annual royalties tied to the sales of Hoffmann cements and premixes. Cemblend will construct production units in the UK to support the rising demand for sustainable building materials.

Thomas Atkinson, international director of Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies, said “2024 marks a key period in Hoffmann Green's international development. After signing a strategic partnership in the US and strengthening our development in Saudi Arabia, this new licensing agreement provides us with ambitious new perspectives on the European market.”

India: JK Cement has laid the foundation stone for a new grinding unit in Buxar, Bihar, at a cost of US$58.7m. With a capacity of 3Mt/yr, the unit is expected to increase the company’s production capacity to over 30Mt/yr by 2025, from the current 24.3Mt/yr, according to Biltrax Media.

Raghavpat Singhania, managing director of JK Cement, said "The new facility will not only enhance JK Cement's reach across India but also contribute to the overall infrastructural and economic development of Bihar.”

Japan: Fortera is collaborating with Sumitomo Corporation to introduce its ReCarb technology in Asia, starting with Japan. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to deploy Fortera’s bolt-on ‘low-to-zero-carbon’ cement plants across the region, focusing on the largest cement manufacturers.

Fortera’s ReCarb process converts industrial CO₂ directly from cement production into cement that is reportedly third-party verified as having 70% less embodied carbon tonne-for-tonne than ordinary Portland cement. When paired with renewable energy, Fortera can achieve zero-CO₂ cement production.

Ryan Gilliam, CEO of Fortera, said "This partnership is a pivotal moment for the future of sustainable cement production, because you can’t make a meaningful impact on the industry’s carbon emissions without partnering with major industry players in Asia, which is home to the largest cement market in the world."

India: A Bangalore-based startup formed at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed an ‘eco-friendly’ cement alternative using geopolymer technology. The product claims to reduce CO₂ emissions by 21.5kg/m² of pavers produced compared to ordinary Portland cement, according to The Economic Times. It also claims to eliminate water use and offer a 15-20% cost advantage. The product achieves full strength in just three days, compared to the 28 days required for Portland cement.

Nanjunda Rao, one of four cofounders of Novacret and chief research scientist at IISc, said “The benefits are significant, geopolymer-based materials achieve full strength in just three days in tropical climates like India, compared to the 28 days required for Portland cement.”