World: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has named its first six startups to receive backing under the inaugural Innovandi Open Challenge. The startups have partnered with GCCA members to help increase cement’s sustainability towards achieving net zero CO₂ concrete production by 2050. This will lead to the formation of six consortia to further test, develop and deploy their new technologies.

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) startups CarbonOrO, MOF Technologies and Saipem, all based in Europe, are among the participants. GCCA members are currently involved in dozens of pilot projects and aim to have 10 industrial-scale carbon capture plants installed by 2030. Other startups Carbon Upcycling Technologies and Fortera, from Canada and the US respectively, use captured CO₂ to produce low-carbon cement and cementitious materials, while UK-based Coomtech has developed a low-cost drying technology using turbulent air.

GCCA CEO Thomas Guillot said “It’s a proud moment to see the industry coming together to support such innovative start-ups on their journey. Our member companies were greatly impressed by their ambition to be a key part of the climate solution. The programme is another big step forward towards unlocking innovation to help us achieve our net zero goal.” He continued “As the need for resilient and sustainable communities to support a growing global population becomes more pressing , cement and concrete will be essential to providing the infrastructure and buildings that society needs. Achieving net zero concrete relies on a number of different groups playing their part, and as an industry we’re looking outwards as well as inwards, to see how start-ups like these can support our goals.”

Uzbekistan: Kyrgyzstan-based Kant Cement has announced plans to open a sales office in Uzbekistan. Kant Cement is a subsidiary of United Cement Group and operates the Kant and AC cement plant in Kyrgyzstan’s Chüy Region.

Thailand: Siam City Cement recorded consolidated sales of US$363m in the first quarter of 2022, up by 21% year-on-year from first-quarter 2021 levels. The group’s net profit fell by 25% to US$23.2m from US$30.7m.

Denmark: GE Renewable Energy has invested in a minority stake in COBOD International. The companies said that the investment will build on their existing relationship since 2019. GE Renewable Energy chose COBOD International as the global market leader in 3D printing technology, which experienced double-digit growth in 2020.

GE Renewable Energy advanced manufacturing technology leader Matteo Bellucci said “This agreement, which will further strengthen our ability to use COBOD’s 3D printing technology and competences in the renewable energy space, is another sign of our commitment to help drive the energy transition by investing in technology that promotes a more sustainable, circular design strategy and helps to create local jobs.” He continued “Since we started cooperating with COBOD, the company has continued to improve their technical competence and innovative solutions, reinforcing the benefits of solidifying the relationship between our companies.”

France: Holcim has completed its acquisition of the French speciality building solutions producer PRB Group. The leading cement producer outside of China said that the acquisition will accelerate its transformation into a 30% solutions and products company in sales terms by 2025.

Europe, Middle East and Africa regional head Miljan Gutovic said “I warmly welcome all members of the PRB Group into the Holcim family. I’m excited about the outstanding expertise and passion they bring to our team in France. This is another exciting step in the expansion of solutions and products in the highly attractive repair and refurbishment market. We look forward to unleashing our next era of growth together to make cities greener with more energy-efficient and long-lasting buildings.”

India: Visaka Industries has commissioned a new line at its Raebareli asbestos cement roofing sheets plant. Indiainfoline News Service has reported that the line has a capacity of 100,000t/yr.

Mexico: Cemex intends for its Vertua products to account for over half of all of its cement and concrete sales by 2025. The Vertua range was launched in 2020 and its cement and concrete products accounted for 34% and 31% of total sales respectively in the first quarter of 2022. Vertua products have a CO₂ reduction of at least 25% compared to traditional cements. For concrete the CO₂ reduction ranges from 30% up to a full net-zero option.

References for Vertua concrete include La Marseillaise, a skyscraper in Marseille, the HS2 high-speed railway in London, the Querétaro-Irapuato highway in Mexico, the San Diego State University stadium in California and the Pereira shopping centre in Colombia. Vertua cement and concrete products have been launched in Colombia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, the Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, the US, the UK and the UAE.

Australia: Adbri’s chief executive officer Nick Miller has told investors at the Macquarie Australia Conference that his company is interested in buying parts of BGC, according to the Australian newspaper. Market analysts speculate that Adbri is interested in acquiring BGC’s cement, concrete and aggregate operations. However, Adbri is likely to face opposition from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission with regards to any attempted offer for BGC’s cement business.

BGC reportedly started its latest attempt to sell the company in April 2022. An indicative bidding round is planned for June 2022.

Italy: Cementir’s revenue rose by 21% year-on-year to Euro362m in the first quarter of 2022 from Euro301m in the same period in 2021. It attributed this to higher prices linked to the increase in the costs of fuels, electricity, raw materials, transport and services. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 26% to Euro60.7m from Euro48.1m. Grey, white and clinker sales volumes increased by 1.8% to 2.4Mt and ready-mixed concrete sales volume remained stable at 1.13Mm³. Cement sales volumes grew in Belgium, Denmark and the US but fell in Turkey. Concrete sales volumes grew in Belgium and Norway but fell in Turkey, Sweden and Denmark.

UK: The Mineral Products Association (MPA) says it is disappointed that UK-based cement and lime producers have been excluded from the government’s compensation scheme for climate change costs. The association says that the government has, “missed an opportunity to support two essential industries during the current energy crisis, despite other industry sectors - which directly compete with cement and lime - receiving the compensation.”

Under the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) scheme, some energy intensive industries can apply for compensation from the indirect costs of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and Carbon Price Support (CPS) if they meet certain criteria. In the government’s 2021 consultation on the compensation mechanism, energy intensive industries needed to meet at least one of three tests to qualify. However, the MPA says that BEIS later changed this so that they had to pass all three tests and modified the targets.

Diana Casey, Director for Energy and Climate Change at the MPA, said “It is extremely disappointing that having met the criteria set out in the consultation, BEIS has decided to move the goalposts and exclude cement and lime from the scheme. UK manufacturers of all products face higher electricity and gas costs than European competitors, and this decision misses an opportunity to support the competitiveness of the UK cement and lime sectors, both essential foundation industries, especially during the current energy crisis and rapidly rising costs. Reaching net zero and delivering our economic potential requires huge investment from global businesses and it becomes harder to make the case for the UK as a location for such investment if policy costs make operating in the UK uncompetitive.”