Displaying items by tag: Clinker

Spain: Cement consumption in Andalusia fell by 15% in the first quarter of 2024, to 0.67Mt, marking a decrease of 0.11Mt from the same quarter in 2023. The Cement Manufacturers Group of Andalusia (AFCA) attributes the significant 29% drop in March 2024 to the timing of Holy Week and heavy rainfall, which impacted construction activities. Exports of clinker and cement also decreased by 34.2%, with a volume of 97,609t in the first quarter of 2024. Over the last 12 months, consumption declined by 3.8% to 3.06Mt.

President of AFCA, Carmen Díaz Canabal, said "We will have to wait for the second quarter data to see the real evolution of the behaviour of the cement market, and therefore of construction, during this year."

Ireland: In a move towards sustainability, the Irish government has mandated green procurement requirements for low carbon cement, effective from September 2024. This initiative is part of Ireland's goal to achieve a net-zero carbon society by 2050.

The new regulations require a 30% reduction in clinker use and the elimination of high clinker cement for all government and public works. Additional provisions include the necessity for Environmental Product Declarations and comprehensive life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions assessments for major new projects. This aims to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions from the construction sector.

Spain: The Cemex plant in Morata de Jalón, Zaragoza, has won €2.8m in aid from the Spanish Ministry of Industry's first Perte resolution for industrial decarbonisation. This funding, part of a larger €96m aid package, will support the plant's clinker production process and its transition to using sustainable fuels.

The aid will increase the use of alternative fuels in clinker production by incorporating waste-derived and biomass fuels.

Ukraine: Companies belonging to the Ukrcement association increased their cement production by 46% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024, producing 1.48Mt, according to the Ukrcement press service. This nearly matches the pre-war production levels of early 2021, which saw 1.56Mt of cement produced. However, clinker production fell by 9% to 878,500t during the same period.

Spain: Cemex has announced the definitive closure of its clinker production kilns at the Lloseta plant, aligning its operations with the global 'Future in Action' programme that targets carbon neutrality by 2050.

The company has confirmed its plans to the government and the Lloseta City Council to dismantle the two cyclone towers at the Lloseta plant by 31 December 2030. While clinker production will cease, the site will continue to engage in grinding, storage, marketing and dispatch of bulk and bagged cement; maintain its regional offices, aggregate treatment plant, ground transport base and operate the Can Negret quarry in Alaró.

The plant’s closure has led to the dismissal of six of the seven employees who worked at the kilns. Cemex has offered these workers positions at other company production centres.

Kyrgyzstan: The Eurasian Development Bank is financing the construction of the Kulanak hydropower Plant with a capacity of 100MW and a new clinker line at the Kant cement plant.

"The substantial growth in the bank's investment portfolio in Kyrgyzstan, which reached 61.6% of the investments planned in the country strategy for 2022-2026, reflects the bank's commitment to increasing its project activities in the region," said Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the EDB Board, during a meeting with Kyrgyzstan's Finance Minister, Almaz Baketaev.

Vietnam: The Vietnam Cement Association (VNCA) has requested the exemption of clinker from the current 10% export tax, arguing it does not qualify under the Value-Added Tax Law as a natural resource or unprocessed mineral. According to Viet Nam News, VNCA has formally appealed to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction to review the tax, asserting that clinker, produced at temperatures around 1450 - 1500°C, should not be taxed as a mineral resource. The industry exported over 31.3Mt of clinker and cement in 2023, equivalent to US$1.32bn, representing a year-on-year decline of 1.2% in volume and 4.1% in value compared to 2022, marking the second consecutive year of export decline. The total production capacity of Vietnam's 61 cement plants is about 117Mt/yr, with domestic consumption reaching only 56.6Mt.

Canada: Lafarge Canada and Geocycle Canada have successfully completed a pilot at the Lafarge Brookfield cement plant in Nova Scotia to produce clinker using recycled minerals from discarded material. This pilot can potentially cut CO₂ emissions by 60% of clinker. The new clinker product will be used to produce recycled cement in 2024.

CEO of Lafarge Canada David Redfern said "Our teams have been tirelessly working towards finding solutions to decarbonise our business in Canada. This new recycled-minerals clinker combines operational excellence with circular construction, building new and green from what is considered old and waste. This is a great example of how far we can go - the local team at Brookfield is certainly setting the tone for the industry in Canada."

Since May 2023, Lafarge Canada, Geocycle Canada and the Holcim Group Innovation Centre have been collaborating on a 100% circular production of clinker at the Brookfield plant. The new production method involves substitution of raw materials with lower carbon options from discarded materials, as well as alternative fuels produced from these materials. The trial was performed in February 2024 and cement from this clinker will be produced in 2024 for further testing and development of the technology.

Barbados: Trinidad Cement, owners of Arawak Cement Company, noted a decline in the Barbados cement market in 2023, according to its annual report.

Managing director Francisco Aguilera Mendoza said "In Barbados, the overall market declined by 14.3%, of which Arawak Cement Company experienced a decline of 8.8% in domestic cement volumes compared to 2022. Trinidad and Tobago’s cement export volume fell by almost 11% when compared to 2022, due to supply chain constraints and an increase in the local market demand. This drop in cement exports was almost fully compensated by our clinker exports to Barbados that started in 2023 after Arawak Cement’s change in its operating model.”

Saudi Arabia: Cement sales in Saudi Arabia recorded a 12.5% increase in April 2024 to 2.92Mt, up from 2.6Mt in 2023, despite the impact of Ramadan. This is according to a report by Aljazira Capital. However, cement exports saw a significant decrease, dropping by 30% year-on-year to 554,000t from 790,000t. Additionally, clinker inventories reached 43.4Mt in April 2024, marking an 18% year-on-year increase and a 3% rise from March 2024.