Indonesia: The Indonesia Ministry of Environment & Forestry and the provincial government of Aceh have awarded Solusi Bangun Indonesia’s Andalas cement plant a Green PROPER rating. Green is the highest rating in the PROPER awards scheme, which assesses businesses’ environmental and social impacts.

In June 2022, Solusi Bangun Indonesia won the Sustainable Business Awards 2022 award in the category Global Initiatives for Significant Achievement in Sustainability Strategy. The group says that its focus remains on providing sustainable solutions, managing its climate impact, developing the circular economy, preserving water, protecting nature and supporting people and communities.

Germany: Zement- und Kalkwerke Otterbein plans to invest Euro10m in upgrades to its Otterbein cement plant to increase the sustainability of cement production there. The new equipment will include a hot gas filter SCR catalytic converter system. The producer says that this will install the facility as one of the lowest-CO₂ cement plants in the world. Local press has reported that, after commissioning the new system, the company plans to increase its approved substitution of biomass as fuel to 100% from 60%.

Cameroon: Cimencam has purchased two vertical roller mills from Germany-based Gebr. Pfeiffer. The order consists of an 80t/hr MVR 2500 C-4 and a 90t/hr MVR 2500 R-4, which will grind clinker and raw materials respectively. When operational in early 2023, the supplier says that the pair will increase the 1.6Mt/yr Figuil plant’s capacity by 150,000t/yr.

China-based CBMI will handle the order.

UK: Tarmac has successfully produced lime at its Tunstead, Derbyshire, plant using net zero hydrogen to fuel its kiln. The achievement was the culmination of a series of trials substituting various proportions of hydrogen for natural gas.

Tarmac’s lime director Graham Cooper said “Lime has been manufactured in the Peak District for centuries and this forward-thinking project aims to ensure the future of this nationally significant industry as the UK transitions to net zero.”

Germany: Certification body TÜV Rheinland Group has awarded INFORM with ISO 27001 accreditation. The certificate signifies that the company operates with secure data handling, transparent internal processes and systematic risk management. INFORM thanked its employees, whose support made the achievement possible.

Canada: Holcim has announced its acquisition of Mathers Group’s quarry and asphalt assets in Quebec. The group says that the acquisition will accelerate its development of local circular construction practices by expanding its recycled concrete offering.

Vietnam: Vietnam National Cement Association (VNCA) members increased their cement production to 59.8Mt in the first half of 2022, up by 6.9% year-on-year from 55.9Mt in the first half of 2021. Vietnam News Brief Service has reported that producers’ June 2022 volumes were 11Mt, up by 13% year-on-year from 9.76Mt in June 2021. Full-year production was 101Mt in 2021.

India: UltraTech Cement has imported a 157,000t shipment of coal from Russia for US$25.8m, which it paid in Chinese Yuan. ET NOW News has reported that this is the first instance of an Indian entity using the currency in international trade. The deal has a value of US$164/t, 50% below average South African coal prices and 20% below average Australian cement prices in India. The deal reportedly signals the possible end of Indian coal prince inflation in the medium – long term.

China: Xinjiang Tianshan Cement has announced plans to invest US$300m into its new materials subsidiary Chizhou CNBM New Materials. The company says that it has increased its planned investments in its Hengshan limestone mine project by 15% to US$1.58bn from US$1.37bn.

Tanzania: Dangote Cement says that the use of gas generators in its Mtwara cement plant’s equipment and lorries has reduced fuel costs by 45% over the 15-month period since its transition in March 2021. The Citizen newspaper has reported that company recorded total savings over the period up to 30 June 2022. The producer plans to establish a compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station in Dar es Salaam. Its operations remain 70% reliant on rental vehicles that run on oil.