Displaying items by tag: GCW700

Algeria: Holcim El-Djazaïr has completed its first export shipment from the Port of Béjaïa, sending 50,000t of grey cement to North America. More shipments will follow throughout the year, according to a post by the producer on Linkedin.

Ghana: At a recent stakeholder meeting, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare instructed the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to shut down cement companies that produce substandard products, according to Adom Online.

“Close down companies that are defaulting with substandard products to stop production until they can prove they can consistently produce quality products,” Ofosu-Adjare said.

She added that price should not be used to justify poor quality cement and warned of the risks posed by substandard materials in public buildings like hotels. She pledged to conduct regular inspections of cement plants to enforce compliance.

The Cement Manufacturers Development Committee Regulation L.I. 2480 and the GSA Act 2022 allow the Minister and the GSA to revoke licences and halt the sale of non-compliant cement.

Nigeria: The Kebbi State Government has signed a memorandum of understanding with MSM Cement to build a cement plant with a production capacity of 3Mt/yr. MSM Cement has pledged to create approximately 45,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities through the project.

According to The Nation Online newspaper, the cement plant will be developed in four phases, with each cluster attracting over US$600m in investment. The chair of MSM Group, Alhaji Muazzam Mairawani, said that production will commence within two years, adding that MSM plans to expand to other states after Kebbi. The strategic location of the plant near the border allows it to take advantage of exports under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Canada: Heidelberg Materials North America has secured government support from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) for its carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) project at its Edmonton cement plant in Alberta. The project aims to capture over 1Mt/yr of CO₂.

In 2023, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry signed a letter of intent to contribute US$191m to the project, with US$34m already allocated for phase one. The remaining US$157m will be finalised through a phase two agreement to support the construction of the CCUS system and a combined heat and power (CHP) facility. The funding has been earmarked under the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) and is contingent on Heidelberg Materials making its final investment decision.

“This groundbreaking partnership with Heidelberg Materials takes us one step closer to a net-zero Canada by 2050,” Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne said. “By building North America’s first carbon capture system in cement, we’re driving innovation, cutting emissions and securing a sustainable future.”

India: Ambuja Cements will invest US$286m in two cement carriers and eight clinker carriers. The company expects to finalise a shipbuilding contract within 15 days, with Cochin Shipyard and Swan Defence and Heavy Industries under consideration.

Each 38,500t Handymax cement carrier will cost US$45.8m, while each 9200t clinker carrier will cost US$22.9m. The clinker carriers will have a 30m beam, 4m draft and 150m length, increasing cargo capacity from the traditional 3000t to 9200t per trip.

Nigeria: ABC Transport has expanded its trucking capacity with a new fleet of heavy-duty bulk cement carriers. This follows the company's introduction of compressed natural gas trucks to improve cement haulage for Lafarge Africa. The new vehicles will transport cement from Lafarge's plant to construction sites nationwide, increasing ABC Transport’s bulk cement delivery capacity to 150,000t/yr.

The company has also acquired a site near Lafarge’s Cross River cement plant to streamline truck maintenance and turnaround efficiency.

India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat) will procure 10MW of solar power from Kilavikulam Rajalakshmi’s captive plant in Tamil Nadu. The producer will also acquire a 35% equity share in the solar power developer.

Kilavikulam Rajalakshmi is a special purpose vehicle for the 10MW solar project. Dalmia Cement said the acquisition will increase its renewable power supply as part of its commitment to RE100 by 2030 and becoming carbon negative by 2040.

Germany: Heidelberg Materials has reported stable group revenues of €21.2bn in 2024, with its result from current operations (RCO) rising by 6% year-on-year to €3.2bn. Geographically, revenues remained steady at €9.5bn in Europe, increased by 2% year-on-year in North America to €5.3bn, declined by 4% in the Asia-Pacific region to €3.5bn, and remained stable at €2.3bn in the Africa-Mediterranean-Western Asia region.

The company states that it is ‘optimistic’ about the current year, and expects demand to stabilise in 2025, forecasting a RCO of €3.25bn - 3.55bn. It will release its full annual report at the end of March 2025.

North Korea: The Sangwon Cement Complex has appealed to smaller cement plants to boost production for major government projects, despite a lack of raw materials and electricity, according to Radio Free Asia.

The ‘vaguely written’ appeal, issued in early February 2025, states the urgent need for cement to complete government housing projects and rural development initiatives, but does not specify how production should increase. One of the projects listed is the Pyongyang housing project, which aims to build 10,000 new homes per year, and a total of 50,000 by the end of 2025.

A resident said “The Sangwon Cement Complex is affiliated with the central committee. Its electricity and raw materials are fully provided by the central party. How can the appeal demand increased cement production from local cement companies when there is no electricity or limestone?”

Another resident noted that most construction is being carried out by military labour units but cement shortages are forcing builders to cut corners, with most rural houses reportedly built from soil mixed with clay, lime, and decomposed granite. Though the appeal came from the Sangwon Cement Complex, residents see it as an implicit order from Kim Jong-un’s government. In the past, citizens were forced to gather sand and gravel for public projects, and some fear this order could have the same effect.

Philippines: Taiheiyo Cement Philippines has informed the government of its plans to improve its distribution system in Luzon, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

The company has doubled the capacity of its US$224m Cebu facility from 50,000 bags/day to 100,000 bags/day. Additionally, it is constructing a distribution terminal in Calaca, Batangas, to better serve Luzon, which accounts for 64% of national cement demand.

"Once operational, this new facility will streamline logistics, optimise supply chain efficiency and ensure timely delivery of cement to this critical region," the DTI said.