India: Adani Group plans to invest US$12.1bn across the various sectors in which it operates in the state of Karnataka before 2030. Press Trust of India News has reported that the company has confirmed that expansions to its cement operations will be included under the investment package.

Adani Group's four cement facilities in Karnataka share a cement production capacity of 7Mt/yr.

Egypt: Suez Cement has partnered with Intro Power and Utilities for the construction of a 20MW solar power plant at its Suez cement plant. From its commissioning in early-mid-2023, the installation will provide the plant with 45GWh of energy annually, 20% of its annual consumption. Suez Cement says that this will eliminate 22,000t/yr-worth of CO₂ emissions. Construction is expected to cost US$350m and commence in 2023.

Suez cement aims to achieve specific CO₂ emissions of 400kg/t of cementitious product by 2030, down by 47% from 1990 levels.

Managing director Mohamed Hegazy said “Through transitioning to renewable solar energy, we are looking at long-term economic benefits, laying the foundation for a low-carbon business and energy security, without jeopardising the health of our environment. We are proud about this new milestone and to be one of the few cement players in Egypt taking this step towards using a more affordable and cleaner energy."

Zimbabwe: A court has ordered Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe to pay US$321,000 to supplier Rubtech Machinery and Spares, in addition to costs. The Standard newspaper has reported that the producer incurred a debt to Rubtech Machinery and Spares for its services in November 2020. Fossil Mines since acquired Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe from Switzerland-based Holcim in June 2022.

China: Anhui Conch Cement recorded revenues of US$11.7bn during the first nine months of 2022, down by 30% year-on-year from US$16.7bn during the same period in 2021. The group's income declined by 45% to US$1.7bn from US$3.08bn.

Nigeria: Dangote Cement's consolidated sales grew by 15% year-on-year to US$2.66bn during the first nine months of 2022 from US$2.31bn in the same period in 2021. In Nigeria the company recorded cement and clinker sales volumes of 13.5Mt, down by 4.7% from 14.1Mt. In the rest of Africa its cement and clinker sales were 7.37Mt, down by 9.7% from 8.16Mt. The group recorded consolidated earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$1.17bn, up by 0.2% from US$1.16bn.

Throughout the first nine months of 2022, Dangote Cement co-processed 102,000t of alternative fuel in its cement production, up by 77% year-on-year from the corresponding period of 2022.

Vietnam: Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem) sold 18.5Mt of cement during the first nine months of 2022, up by 6.5% year-on-year from the same period in 2021. The producer's cement and clinker sales volumes totaled 20.9Mt during the period, 71% of its full-year 2022 target.

Vicem recorded a pretax profit of US$60.4m, up by 8.4%. Vicem aims to achieve a US$82.5m pretax profit and increase its revenues by 10% to US$1.49bn.

Vietnam: During the first ten months of 2022, Vietnam National Cement Association (VNCA) members exported 25.9Mt of cement and clinker, with a total value of US$1.16bn. Volumes dropped by 30% year-on-year from 37Mt, while the value of exports dropped by 20% from US$1.43bn.

In 2021 Vietnam exported 43.5Mt of cement and clinker, worth US$1.78bn, up by 13% year-on-year in volume and by 24% in value.

Estonia: Competition authorities have opened additional proceedings into Schwenk Zement subsidiary Schwenk Eesti's deal to acquire a majority stake in Betoonimeister. The parties concluded their agreement in late September 2022.

Betoonimeister supplies ready-mix concrete across Estonia from six batching plants in Jõhvi, Pärnu, Tapa, Tallinn and Tartu. It employs a total of 90 people.

Nigeria: BUA Cement's nine-month 2022 results showed a 41% year-on-year rise to US$596m from US$424m in the same period of 2021. Meanwhile, its profit after tax grew to US$168m, up by 12% from US$150m. Throughout the period, BUA Cement's cost of sales rose by 43% to US$324m from US$226m.

Europe: Ireland-based Ecocem and seven other European sustainable technology companies have launched the Cleantech Scale-Up Coalition, with the backing of green investment funding network Breakthrough Energy. The coalition will work to contribute to European climate neutrality, energy autonomy and industrially competitiveness. Other participants' fields include carbon capture, green hydrogen technologies, transport electrification, batteries and recycling.

Ecocem's managing director Donal O’Riain said “Scalable, low carbon cements, which can decarbonise the European cement industry by 50% by 2030, are ready to deploy today. To do so, they need to be rapidly industrialised. This coalition, which allows Ecocem to combine forces with other world-class companies, will enable our ambition by working to remove the barriers to an accelerated decarbonisation of European, and global, industry.”