US: Bruks Siwertell has launched a new branding, including a brand new logo. Group chief executive officer (CEO) Peter Jonsson said, “Our new appearance is part of a recognition process. It shows customers that Bruks and Siwertell products are part of the same family, and enables the instant association of our equipment with the ability to add value to operations, generate profitability and offer an impressive return on investment for their owners.” He added, “We have grown our business significantly over the last few years and this is a natural stage in our transformation process: a new look to show the market that we are bigger than our individual brands.”

Vietnam: The Vietnam National Cement Corporation (VICEM) has reported that Vietnamese producers exported 13.6Mt of cement between 1 January 2020 and 31 May 2020, down by 1.4% year-on-year from 13.8Mt in the corresponding five months of 2019. Producers exported 7.07Mt of cement to China, up by 26% from 9.55Mt, 2.08Mt to the Philippines, down by 29% from 2.93Mt, and 1.36Mt to Bangladesh, down by 9.9% from 1.51Mt. The total value of exported cement fell by 14% to US$505m from US$590m.

India: The India Cements recorded a profit of US$4.70m in the fiscal year ending 31 March 2020, down by 49% year-on-year from US$9.18m in the 2019 fiscal year. Sales fell by 10% to US$669m from US$744m. The company attributed the fall in revenue partly to the suspension of operations in the fourth quarter following the beginning of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown in late March 2020.

India: The Great Places to Work Institute (GPWI) has awarded the title of ‘Best Place to Work’ in the cement and building materials sectors to Shree Cement. India Blooms News has reported that Shree Cement is also among the GPWI’s 100 Best Places to Work in all sectors. The certificating body reached its conclusions by collating responses from 2.1m employees of over 1000 companies in 21 different industries across India.

Indonesia: Thailand-based Siam Cement Group (SCG) and PT Marindo Inticor have announced the launch of PT Renos Marketplace Indonesia, a digital marketplace to connect Indonesian customers with SCG’s products. Online Stock Business News has reported that ownership of the company is shared 51:49 between SCG subsidiary Better Bee Marketplace Company Limited and PT Marindo Inticor. The joint venture has registered capital of US$1.26m.

Austria: Lafarge Zementwerke, OMV, Verbund and Borealis have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the joint planning and construction of a full-scale plant by 2030 to capture CO₂ and process it into synthetic fuels, plastics or other chemicals. As part of the ‘Carbon2ProductAustria’ (C2PAT) project the companies intend to build the unit at the integrated Mannersdorf cement plant and capture all of the 0.7Mt/yr of CO₂ emitted.

"We are committed to leading the industry in reducing carbon emissions and shifting towards low-carbon construction. We have worked consistently and successfully on the reduction of the CO₂ footprint of our cement plants, products and solutions. Ultimately, CO₂-neutral cement production can only be possible with the implementation of breakthrough technologies, like carbon capture, which is why we have great expectations for the C2PAT project", said Lafarge’s local chief executive officer (CEO) José Antonio Primo.

The project aims to use hydrogen produced by Verbund to allow OMV to transform the captured CO₂ into a range of olefins, fuels and plastics. Borealis would then use some of these products as a feedstock to manufacture plastics. However, the companies say that, “taking the next steps towards a Zero CO₂ economy will require the right financial as well as favourable regulatory framework conditions. The success of C2PAT will largely depend on whether the right financial and regulatory framework conditions are created both at the European Union and Austrian national level.”

The joint project is designed in three phases. In phase one, the partners are currently evaluating and developing a joint strategy for project development, business modelling and process engineering. Based on the results of phase one, a cluster of industrial pilot plants in the Eastern part of Austria could be technically developed and built in the mid-2020s in phase two. Phase three entails building a full scale CO₂ capture and utilisation unit at a cement plant.

Lafarge Zementwerke is the Austrian subsidiary of building materials manufacturer LafargeHolcim. OMV produces and markets oil and gas, energy and other petrochemical products. Verbund is an Austrian-based electricity generator, with a focus on hydroelectric power. Borealis is a chemical company and a producer of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilisers.

France: Vicat says that group business activity increased month-on-month between April and May 2020. In a special update on business in the context of the coronavirus, the company said that the outbreak’s impacts varied across the 12 countries in which it operates, all of which locked down due to the pandemic.

In France, the level of business is “slightly lower” than in May 2019 following a steady recovery from a “strong slowdown in mid-March 2020.” Macroeconomic and competition issues continue in Egypt and Turkey, not however due to the coronavirus outbreak, while volumes and prices have generally increased in Switzerland, the US, Brazil and Western Africa, except in Senegal, where the government has cancelled infrastructure projects. Following the pan-Indian lockdown between 24 March 2020 and 17 April 2020, business in India has resumed, albeit at a “level significantly below that of the same period of 2019.”

The group says that it is planning cost-cutting measures and has postponed a planned US price rise to late 2020.

Spain: LafargeHolcim España has announced the launch of a range of mortars specially suited to use in 3D printing. EN News has reported that the range, called Tector 3D build, includes cement and natural hydraulic lime mortars. The company says that the products can sustain pressures of up to 90MPa for high-speed application. It is collaborating with construction companies to apply the products to 3D printing in large residential and energy infrastructure projects

Sweden: Germany-based BHS-Sonthofen has announced its supply of a twin-shaft DKXS 4.0 batch mixer for Tecwill as part of the 1100-turbine Markbygden Wind Farm in Norrbotten County. The mixer produces 4m³ of fibre concrete per batch and allows for casting up to three windmill bases per day. Tecwill has supplied a mobile concrete batching plant to the project consisting of five aggregate bins, four cement silos, a fibre dosing module and turbo-heating container including a buffer tank for cold water.

Turkmenistan: President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has signed a degree announcing the start of phase two of construction of the Baharden and Lebap cement plants in July 2020. Turkmenistan Today State News Agency has announced that the decree permits the Ministry of Industry and Construction to conclude contracts with Beyik-Bina for construction of the Baharden plant and with Turkmen Enjam for construction of the Lebap plant, each with a 1.0Mt/yr integrated capacity. Both projects are scheduled for completion in 2020.