Displaying items by tag: Production

India: JK Lakshmi Cement has increased its cement production capacity from 16.5Mt/yr to 18Mt/yr following the commissioning of a new grinding unit in Surat and de-bottlenecking of cement mills at Jaykaypuram and Sirohi. According to the company’s filing, the Surat grinding unit adds 1.35Mt/yr.

Zimbabwe: Construction of the Chegutu cement plant by Chinese investor Shuntal Investment has reportedly reached the halfway stage, with production scheduled to begin in early 2026, according to the government-owned newspaper The Sunday Mail. The plant will produce 800,000t/yr of cement and is the second cement plant under development in Mashonaland West, alongside WIH-Zim’s Magunje plant, also set to open in 2026.

Shuntal Investment general manager Zhou Bin said the project is on schedule. “The entire project is expected to be completed before the onset of the 2025/2026 rainy season. This timing is deliberate so that production will not be disrupted during the critical rainy months,” he said  

He added that the plant will adopt modern technology, including a pipe spray cooling system, bag-type dust removers reportedly capable of reducing 99% of dust emissions, and fully enclosed, spill-proof production lines. Raw materials will be sourced from the nearby Lambourne quarry site, reducing Zimbabwe’s dependence on imports. Around 200 local workers are currently employed, building staff housing, storage facilities, warehouses and plant infrastructure.

Ropafadzo Chafesuka, a female truck driver at the site, said 'There are several female workers here, and this has empowered us. We are certain that once the plant starts production, more women will be employed, reducing early marriages and helping fight drug and substance abuse.”

Local press in Zimbabwe previously reported in August 2025 that Shuntai Holdings was in a legal battle with a local school over the construction of the plant 497m from the school’s boundary. Construction has reportedly continued despite a High Court judge ordering construction to cease.

Cameroon: The Central Africa Cement (CAC) plant in Koukoue, Edéa district, was inaugurated on 19 September 2025, in a ceremony chaired by Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development Fuh Calixtus. The event was also attended by the Minister of Transport and local leaders. The US$21m project has a production capacity of 1Mt/yr, and will use local resources such as limestone and pozzolan, while importing clinker. Cement output will serve both domestic demand and export markets, according to Afrik Info.

The new facility will reportedly create 121 direct jobs and boost local supply with affordable cement. It also reinforces Cameroon’s position as a cement hub in Central Africa and aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which aim to increase competitiveness in international trade.

Nigeria/Botswana: Nigeria-based producer Dangote Cement has announced plans to expand into Botswana with a new plant, which would increase its presence on the continent to 12 countries. The plan was disclosed by Emmanuel Ikazoboh, newly appointed chair of Dangote Cement, during a presentation at the Nigerian Exchange Group.

“We are fully aware of the challenges in South Africa, which is why we’re opening a plant in Botswana, geographically close to the market,” Ikazoboh said. “South Africa currently imports cement, and while we have urged the government to curb imports, progress has been slow.”

According to the company, the Botswana blending plant will help boost production and improve profitability, with Dangote Cement targeting 66.4Mt/yr across all of its operations by 2030, a 28% increase from its current capacity of 52Mt/yr.

Guatemala: Ultracem Guatemala has launched a new 45.2 grade of bagged cement, which it says is the strongest structural cement on the national market. It is designed for projects that demand maximum performance, safety, and technical support. The new product meets the highest international standards, including ASTM and COGUANOR 41095, and is the result of a strategic investment in technology and local development. The launch of the new product coincides with the first anniversary of the company’s production plant in Guatemala, which was inaugurated in 2024.

Azerbaijan: The total value of the materials production by Azerbaijan’s construction materials sector was US$460.5m in January-July 2025, according to the State Statistical Committee. This represents a 5.8% decline compared to the same period of 2024. Cement production fell by 3.2% year-on-year over the same timeframe.

Peru: National cement dispatches reached 1.15Mt in August 2025, up by 4.4% year-on-year, according to the Asociación de Productores de Cemento (ASOCEM). On a 12-month rolling basis, dispatches grew by 3% year-on-year. Cement production stood at 1.04Mt, a 2% increase compared to August 2024 and 1% higher over the 12-month cumulative period. In contrast, clinker production dropped to 630,000t, down by 20% year-on-year and 12% lower on a 12-month basis.

Cement exports fell by 6% to 10,962t compared to August 2024, though they rose 10% over the 12 months. Clinker exports reached 72,006t, down by 3% and 11% lower across the 12-month cumulative period. Imports of cement saw a significant 565% increase to 10,763t, up by 109% over the 12-month period. Clinker imports stood at 35,396t, falling by 56% from August 2024 but still 43% higher in the 12-month comparison.

China: Cement production fell to 148Mt in August 2025, down by 6.2% year-on-year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. From January to August 2025, production reached 1.105Bnt, representing a 5% decrease year-on-year compared to the same period in 2024.

In July 2025, production reached its lowest level since 2009, at 146Mt.  The drop was attributed to the ongoing real estate crisis, weak infrastructure activity and weather disruptions from heatwaves and storms. Producers are shrinking capacity to better align with demand.

Gabon: The Council of Ministers, chaired by Head of State Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, has announced a ban on the import of clinker from 1 January 2027, according to Gabon Actu news. Local clinker production ceased in 2014, leaving Gabon dependent on imports to supply cement for construction projects. The president said that the reliance on foreign clinker has placed a burden on the trade balance and hindered infrastructure development.

Authorities said that the decision is part of a broader strategy to promote economic autonomy and revive national industry. The government expects clinker production to restart within a year, with support from industrial partners and available domestic resources.

Egypt: The government has announced a series of measures to stabilise the cement market following a period of price increases, according to Ahram Online. Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir announced steps to boost production, limit exports and introduce transparent pricing.

At the end of August 2025, El-Wazir met with major cement producers, regulators and chambers of commerce and called for further price reductions, alongside continuous production, and said that eight idle production lines would be restarted. Local cement production reached 25.39Mt between January and July 2025, up from 23.3Mt a year earlier. With demand expected to grow both domestically and abroad, the government has signalled that it may issue new licences for cement factories. Among the government’s new measures are requiring companies to print the anticipated retail price on cement bags at least one month in advance to protect customers from sudden price fluctuations.