India: UltraTech Cement and other industrial partners are participating in the development of the World Economic Forum’s first net zero transport cluster in India. The cluster, called Moving India, will deploy 550 zero-emissions trucks in western Gujarat and Maharashtra. Participants aim to create scale, support the deployment of shared assets and infrastructure, encourage the creation of a vehicle supply and servicing ecosystem and inform policy through consensus.

GPEO News has reported that UltraTech Cement managing director Kailash Jhanwar said "India is the second largest cement producing country in the world, with cement plants spread across the country. The cement sector can provide an ideal use case for early adoption of zero emission trucks. At UltraTech Cement, we are committed to evaluating all means to reduce our emissions and environmental footprint. We see large scale deployment of zero emission trucks and liquefied natural gas/compressed natural gas vehicles as the next key initiative to make our operations more sustainable."

India: Three workers died after an oxygen cylinder exploded at UltraTech Cement’s Hirmi cement plant in Chhattisgarh on 18 July 2023. The Indian Express newspaper has reported that the workers were subcontractors hired to carry out repairs at the 1.9Mt/yr integrated cement plant. They reportedly brought the cylinder with them to the site before it exploded for unknown reasons. Police are investigating the event, and have named the victims as Lakesh Kumar Gayakwad, Shatruhan Lal Verma and Umesh Kumar Verma. The men were aged between 21 and 27.

Tajikistan: The government ordered the immediate shutdown of Tajikcement’s Dushanbe cement plant ‘due to serious air pollution’ on 18 July 2023. Asia-PLUS News has reported that the suspension will likely last until the end of 2023. The government has indicated that an upgrade to the plant’s equipment would be necessary for it to be able to reopen. It previously stated that the plant would have to shut down altogether and relocate to a new site, to be replaced by a confectionary factory.

Malaysia: YTL Cement and Thailand-based SCG have signed a memorandum of understanding with Innocement, a joint venture between the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA). The agreement is intended to strengthen the cement supply chain, secure the reliability of supply and stabilise prices in the region, according to the Star newspaper. In January 2023 representatives of the SEDC and the BDA had visited SCG in Bangkok. At this time it was reported that a joint venture between the SEDC and the BDA wanted to import 0.5 – 1Mt/yr of cement from SCG.

Slovenia: Salonit Anhovo has announced a planned name change to Alpacem Cement Slovenia. STAkrog News has reported that the inclusion of the word ‘Slovenia’ will require special government approval. The company said that Alpacem better reflects its ownership, while Cement reflects its core activity.

Salonit Anhovo is 75% owned by Austria-based Wietersdorfer Alpacem and 25% owned by Italy-based Buzzi.

China: China Shanshui Cement has warned investors of an anticipated net loss during the first half of 2023. Dow Jones Institutional News has reported that the group expects to record a '145 - 150%' year-on-year decline in its profit compared with first-half 2022 levels. It attributed this to a fall in the price of its cement throughout the period.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Hungary-based Talentis Group and Austria-based Asamer Baustoffe have signed a letter of intent giving the former exclusive negotiation rights in the sale of Lukavac Cement. The subsidiary of Asamer Baustoffe operates the 650,000t/yr integrated Lukavac cement plant in Tuzla Canton. It also controls the nearby Vijenac limestone mine.

Talentis Group already holds foreign assets in Croatia and Romania.

Kyrgyzstan: The Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Technical Supervision has requested an inspection of Sinji-Pirim's Sinji-Pirim cement plant in Osh Region's Aravan District. Central Asia News has reported that a video emerged on social media showing smoke rising from pipes at the plant on 6 July 2023.

Sinji-Pirim Cement has operated the Sinji-Pirim cement plant since March 2018.

US: Buzzi subsidiary Buzzi Unicem USA has published an update following a fire on the evening of 13 July 2023. The producer said that it first detected smoke from an alternative fuel (AF) store that housed wood chips and shredded tyres. Staff contacted the fire service, which brought the blaze under control without any injuries. The fire damaged the siding of the storehouse, as well as some electrical equipment. The producer said that the Stockertown cement plant did not lose electrical power, and that it is currently evaluating the extent of the damage.

Plant manager Rad Slavov said “I want to thank all the emergency responders for their quick response and professionalism in getting the fire under control swiftly.”

Spain: The Spanish cement association, Oficemen, recorded total national cement consumption of 7.54Mt throughout the first half of 2023. This corresponds to a 0.3% year-on-year rise from first-half 2022 levels. Meanwhile, first-half exports fell by 2.3% year-on-year to 2.84Mt.

The Cinco Días newspaper has reported that Oficemen general director Aniceto Zaragoza said “The first half of 2023 has closed with zero growth, in line with our forecasts at the beginning of the year. The confluence of three elections, which will end with the general elections on 23 July 2023, is an unusual circumstance, which has affected not only investments in public works but also at the business level." Zaragoza added that construction decision-making had 'already slowed down by itself due to the current international situation.'