Uzbekistan: The Uzpromstroymaterialy Association reported that national cement production was 18Mt between January and September 2025, up by 28% year-on-year. Total installed capacity is now 40.5Mt/yr across 42 enterprises, an increase of 0.7Mt/yr from 2024. The rise in production of high-quality grades such as M-500 and M-600 cement led to an 89% decline in imports, which totalled 66,000t in the first nine months of 2025. Imports for the first half of 2025 were 38,000t, down by 91% from 2024.

Cement exports in the first nine months of 2025 were nearly 1.1Mt, almost four times higher than in the same period of 2024. The association said that the CIS free trade regime is supporting the expansion of foreign markets for Uzbek producers, while imports from CIS countries remain duty-free. It said that the competitiveness of domestic producers, their strong supply to the local market and rising export potential are strengthening Uzbekistan’s economic independence.

Italy: Federbeton, which represents the cement and concrete industry, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Assocarta, the association of paper, cardboard and pulp producers, to develop synergies in circular economy and decarbonisation initiatives.

The agreement aims to recover paper industry waste as a resource for reducing CO₂ emissions in cement production. Recycled waste and sludge will be used to produce solid fuel recovered (SRF). The protocol includes joint technical discussions to identify suitable recovery conditions, cooperation in securing national and EU funding and engagement with public authorities to improve regulatory frameworks.

Federbeton president Stefano Gallini said “If decarbonisation is a systemic challenge, achieving this goal necessarily requires collaboration and shared commitment. The agreement with Assocarta stems precisely from this awareness and is a concrete tool to accelerate the path towards carbon neutrality. Replacing fossil fuels with solutions like SRF represents an immediate opportunity for the environment, the community and the country's energy independence. It is a lever already widely adopted in Europe, where the average substitution rate is 56%. In Italy, we still stand at 26%, due to inconsistent application of regulations and cultural mistrust.”

Spain: Molins recorded a net profit of €141m in the first nine months of 2025, down by 8% year-on-year, mainly due to the depreciation of the Mexican and Argentine currencies. On a like-for-like basis, net profit rose by 3% compared with the corresponding period in 2024. Revenues were €1bn, 2% lower than the same period last year, but up by 7% at constant exchange rates, driven by selling price adjustments amid slowing demand and global uncertainty. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled €263m, down by 4%, but up by 6% at constant currencies, supported by higher operating efficiency and favourable pricing effects. The company also achieved one of its 2030 Sustainability Roadmap goals, reducing its clinker factor below 67%, placing it ahead of its 2030 target.

Saudi Arabia: City Cement recorded a 6% year-on-year fall in net profit to US$25.8m in the first nine months of 2025, down from US$27.5m in 2024. This was despite a 7% rise in revenues to US$103m from US$96.5m.

In the third quarter of 2025, the company’s net profit dropped by 74% year-on-year to US$2.3m from US$9m, while revenues fell by 26% to US$25.8m from US$34.8m. Quarter-on-quarter, profit declined by 76% from US$9.7m in the second quarter of 2025, with revenues down by 31% from US$37.3m.

Vietnam: Domestic cement sales reached about 18Mt in the third quarter of 2025, equal to 79% of second-quarter levels, according to the Construction Industry Development Centre (CIDC). The decline was attributed to prolonged storms and seasonal factors that disrupted operations and transport. Rising electricity, raw material and fuel costs also put pressure on production costs and profit margins.

By contrast, cement and clinker exports rose to nearly 9.5Mt, up on both the previous quarter and the first nine months of 2024. The increase was driven by efforts to expand into new markets in the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe, offsetting lower demand from the US, Taiwan and the Philippines. The Vietnam Cement Market Report noted that export profit margins remain under pressure due to high logistics costs and falling prices. The US’ 20% import tax on Vietnamese cement and Taiwan’s anti-dumping duties (in place until 2030) are also prompting companies to reassess pricing and market strategies.

According to the Vietnam Association of Building Materials, the final months of 2025 will bring ‘continued challenges’ from rising energy and input costs, but improving weather, faster public investment disbursement and signs of recovery in real estate are expected to boost demand for construction materials.

Kenya: Cement production rose to 920,000t in August 2025, up by 1% month-on-month from 907,000t in July 2025, keeping pace with rising demand. Consumption also reached a record 907,000t, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

The rebound follows the release of US$487m by the Treasury earlier in 2025 to clear unpaid bills to contractors, which allowed hundreds of stalled road and infrastructure projects to resume. The sector had previously contracted by 3% in the quarter ending June 2025 due to budget cuts, high material costs and reduced private lending.

Afghanistan: Ghori Cement Factory in Baghlan has more than doubled its daily cement production from 250-300t to 700t, according to Shafiullah Wahidi, head of the plant. He said that both the first and second units are operating normally, while construction of the third unit is ‘progressing rapidly’. Wahidi said that a third unit will be completed within 18 months, at an estimated cost of US$86m, increasing the plant’s total production capacity to 5000t/day.

US: Amrize reported third-quarter 2025 revenue of US$3.68bn, up by 6.6% from US$3.45bn in 2024, driven by strong infrastructure demand and improving commercial markets. The company’s building materials revenue grew by 8.7%, supported by higher volumes in aggregates and shingles, while adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) reached US$1.07bn. Net income was US$543m, down slightly from US$552m in 2024. Cement sales volumes rose by 6% to 7.1Mt during the third quarter.

Chair and CEO Jan Jenisch said “Together, we delivered strong revenue growth of 6.6% and free cash flow generation of US$674m, up by US$221m. Our Building Materials business had strong sales with increased customer demand, while margin was affected by a temporary equipment outage in our cement network. This quarter, we made progress across our key organic growth investments and kicked off new projects to expand production and improve efficiency.”

India: FLSmidth has signed a contract with UltraTech Cement to supply two new Cross-Bar coolers with HRBs to upgrade the pyroprocessing lines at its Dalavoi and Sankar Nagar plants in Tamil Nadu. The upgrades aim to increase efficiency and productivity at both facilities.

Vietnam: VICEM Ha Tien Cement has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a waste heat recovery power generation project at its Kien Luong cement plant. The agreement is valued at US$7.5m, and was concluded with a consortium of Sinoma International Engineering, Viet Industrial Construction and Installation, and Viet Tuan Trading Construction Architecture.

The consortium will design, supply, construct and install the system, which will utilise residual heat from the clinker line to generate electricity. The project is set for completion within 16 months, and will meet a ‘considerable portion’ of the plant’s internal power needs, according to S&P Global.