Italy: Cement and clinker imports from non-EU countries rose by 43% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2024, following 2023's high of 2.28Mt of cement and 1.33Mt of clinker, up by 22.6% on 2022 and 572% compared to 2018, according to Federbeton.

Federbeton president Stefano Gallini said “Italy shares its Mediterranean coastline with countries that, although they boast a large cement manufacturing industry, do not share the stringent environmental and safety standards of EU countries. The increase in imports from these countries therefore risks having repercussions not only on the cement and concrete sector, but on the entire Italian economic and social context.”

Gallini warned that Italy faces challenges from cheaper imports driven by lower environmental investments abroad. He added “Federbeton, like the entire hard-to-abate industry, is in a moment of great turmoil, engaged in a path for decarbonisation with investments of €4.2bn in addition to extra operating costs of approximately €1.4bn/yr. Asking the Italian industry for an effort of this type and continuing not to protect it by allowing uncontrolled imports means relocating emissions to foreign countries, to which are added those due to increased transport, with dangerous repercussions for the future of our own planet.”

UK: The first shipment of bulk cementitious materials has arrived at Aggregate Industries’ new deep-sea cement terminal in Southampton.

Cementitious materials are conveyed pneumatically into the terminal’s new warehouse. The facility, developed under a €7.2m investment, is reportedly the UK’s fastest cement discharging terminal, unloading 1t of cement every five seconds. The project began in March 2024 and was completed with the arrival of the Nacc Indian Cement Carrier, marking the terminal’s operational launch.

Poland: Ukrainian cement exports to Poland account for less than 4% of Poland's production, indicating no need for a trade war, according to the Association of Cement Producers in Ukraine (Ukrcement). The association was responding to concerns raised by the Polish Cement Producers Association, which stated that imports of Ukrainian cement into Poland could triple from 0.5Mt in 2024 to 1.5Mt in 2025.

Ukrcement stated that the export of Ukrainian cement to Poland had historically been minimal, accounting for only 0.2-0.3% of Poland's total cement production in 2021, amounting to 53,400t. "Before the full-scale invasion, the export of cement from Ukraine to Poland was symbolic in nature, dictated by the logistics of consumer choice in the border areas of Ukraine-Poland," the association said.

However, since the start of the full-scale war, exports to Poland have significantly increased, partly due to a significant reduction in domestic cement consumption in Ukraine, from 10.5Mt in 2021 to 6.1Mt in 2023.

"If we compare the export of cement from Ukraine to Poland during the war with the total production volumes in Poland, we get a figure that does not exceed 4%. Is this indicator such a decisive factor for cement producers in Poland?" Ukrcement asked.

Egypt: In a move to reinforce its commitment to environmental sustainability and the transition to renewable energy, Misr Cement Group has signed a groundbreaking partnership with Solarize Egypt to develop a 40MW photovoltaic solar power project, based on an Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.

The project, one of the largest initiatives in Egypt’s industrial sector, will involve a total investment of US$29m. The two solar plants will generate 48 million kWh per year for each of the company’s plants in Minya and Qena governorates. This will reduce dependence on traditional energy sources, decrease the company’s CO2 emissions, and enhance the group’s operational sustainability.

This collaboration highlights the mutual commitment of both parties to support Egypt’s Vision 2030 by adopting clean energy solutions and reducing the environmental impact of heavy industries, in line with the national goal to increase reliance on renewable energy sources and achieve sustainable development.

US: Eagle Materials Inc, has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Bullskin Stone & Lime, an aggregates business located in Western Pennsylvania. The business serves the Pittsburgh and broader Western Pennsylvania markets. The purchase price is US$152.5m, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. The transaction is expected to close by mid-February 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Commenting on the acquisition, Michael Haack, President and CEO, said “The acquisition of Bullskin Stone & Lime further advances Eagle’s long-term growth strategy by adding a pure-play aggregates business that complements and extends our network of aggregates quarries and cement plants and terminals in the region.”

France: Lafarge France, part of Holcim, will deploy the technology of the Swiss start-up Neustark on its Gennevilliers site. This means that around 1000t/yr of CO2 could be sequestered into recycled concrete.

Neustark’s principle consists of injecting the liquefied CO2 into recycled gravel. The gas then reacts with the calcium present and forms calcium carbonate crystals. It is thus transformed and can be stored indefinitely. Neustark has already deployed its technology at 22 sites in Europe, mainly in Switzerland and Germany.

The Gennevilliers plant already receives demolition concrete and transforms it into recycled aggregates used in ready-mix concrete gravel and road sub-bases. The site, which produces 80,000t/yr of recycled materials, will be able to transform around 1000t/yr of CO2, as Neustark's technology can store 10kg of CO2 per tonne of recycled demolished concrete.

India: Ambuja Cements, an Adani Group company, has commissioned and started power transmission from its 200MW solar power project at Khavda, Gujarat. The remaining 806MW capacity from the country-wide project is at various stages of commissioning. 156 MW of wind power from Khavda and a further 300MW solar power plant in Rajasthan are expected to be commissioned in phases by March 2025. The remaining 350MW of solar power is expected to be commissioned by June 2025.

Ajay Kapur, Adani Group CEO - Cement Business, said the company is committed to achieve net zero emission by 2050, adding "We aim to power 60% of our total energy consumption from green power sources by the 2028 fiscal year.”

Kazakhstan: Martin Engineering has announced fresh expansion in Central Asia with a new business unit in Kazakhstan. Based in the country’s largest city and commercial centre, Almaty, in southeastern Kazakhstan, the new venture will act as a regional hub, enabling the company to bring its full range of products and services to the fast-growing mining sector across Central Asia.

The new business will be led by General Manager Oleg Glukhov, who has worked with Martin Engineering for the past seven years. He says Martin is well placed to support Kazakhstan’s leading minerals processing firms to improve operational performance and safety.

Türkiye: Oyak Cement will invest US$4.59m to increase fuel supply capacity at its Adana plant. The producer will add 180,000t/yr of processing capacity to the existing 36,000t/yr refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production capacity, raising the total to 216,000t/yr. It will also establish a biomass facility with a capacity of 180,000t/yr. The RDF will be prepared at a disposal fuel facility for use in the cement plant.

South Korea: The cement industry in South Korea faces rising costs due to a rising won-to-dollar exchange rate following the attempted impeachment of the president, and transportation disruptions from a railroad strike. This is likely to lead to an increase in coal import costs, according to Chosun Biz news.

The ongoing strike by the National Railroad Workers Union has disrupted cement transportation, though stockpiles in metropolitan areas have mitigated immediate effects. However, prolonged strikes could force production halts.

Kim Seung-jun, researcher at capital market company Hana Securities, said “In the fourth quarter, cement production is expected to decrease by 14% compared to the same period in 2023.”