Indonesia: Semen Indonesia subsidiary Semen Padang’s cement and clinker exports totalled 1.6Mt in 2020. Indonesia Government News has reported that the company said that it exported 0.2Mt of cement and 1.4Mt of clinker throughout the year. The main markets for its products were Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Australia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Semen Indonesia group senior export sales manager Fifit Abriyanto said, “There are two types of cement that we export, namely ordinary Portland cement (OPC) Type I grade 52.5N and OPC Type I grade 42.5N."

Nigeria: The National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria (NABMON) has warned that its members are struggling to continue their trade due to the high price of cement. The Daily Independent newspaper has attributed the price rise to post-coronavirus shutdown maintenance challenges in the cement industry, increased exports, logistical disruptions and an unseasonably high demand for cement. The association is lobbying government to put in place and enforce competition laws to help return the price to a more ‘stable’ level.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos has built a new distribution centre in Campos Novos, Santa Catarina. When it opens in January 2021, the facility will supply a ‘complete portfolio for the civil construction market’ in Santa Catarina, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. It will receive goods from six cement and building materials plants in the company’s South Brazil region.

Regional commercial general manager Tony Noritake said, “We invested in this distribution centre to better meet customer demand in the South, expand our presence and optimise costs."

Iceland: HeildelbergCement subsidiary Sementsverksmidjan has apologised for an incident which caused cement dust to be released from a silo at its terminal in Akranes. An overflow during loading caused the dust to settle on nearby houses. The company collaborated with fire services, utilities companies and residents to tidy up.

The company said, “The incident yesterday was an accident which did not comply with the policy and will of the company or its owners. The company therefore apologises to all those who suffered inconvenience and will do everything in its power to ensure that accidents of this kind do not recur.”

Libya: Tripoli residents whose homes have been damaged during fighting between government and Libyan National Army forces will receive priority access to cement. The Libya Herald has reported that the Libyan Interior Ministry has established a committee to coordinate between state-owned Ahlia Cement Company and citizens involved in reconstruction. It said that the committee will update people who have ordered cement on their scheduled deliveries. The initiative is intended to overcome allegations of corruption connected to obtaining cement from the producer.

China: Huaxin Cement has ignited the kiln and started production at a new integrated 2.9Mt/yr cement plant near Huangshi City in Hubei Province. The company said that the plant will combine second-generation intelligent dry kilns, alternative fuel (AF) co-processing and a waste heat recovery (WHR) power plant, at a total investment cost of around US$465m. The group expressed its commitment to digital innovation and the promotion of Internet and industry. An artificial sand and gravel unit has also been started at the same site.

Cameroon: Aumund France has won a contract to supply three BWZ type bucket elevators with central chain, three BWG type belt bucket elevators and three Samson material feeders to Oyak Çimento’s upcoming plant near Kribi. When commissioned in September 2022, the plant will grind 100t/day of cement and 720t/day of calcined clay. ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions (France) is responsible for the overall design, supply and installation of equipment to the plant.

India: The government of India has granted licences to JSW Cement subsidiary Shiva Cement for the expansion of its cement plants in the state. The New Indian Express newspaper has reported that the company has received approval for an integrated capacity expansion of 1.1Mt/yr and a clinker capacity expansion of 1.3Mt/yr.

The state government approved a total of US$730m-worth of planned investments in various industries on 6 January 2020.

India: Meghalaya Cement, Star Cement and Amrit Cement have been accused of illegally mining 1.8Mt of limestone in Meghalaya between 2013 and 2018. The Northeast Now newspaper has reported that the companies mined the limestone in a tribal area of the state without environmental, forest or wildlife clearance or No Objection Certificates (NOCs). Local cement producers also allegedly owe the state government around US$40m in related limestone mining licence fees. All three cement producers reportedly made donations to a local political party.

The state government is also investigating allegations that two of the cement producers have polluted two local rivers, Wah Lukha and Wah Lunar. The former river allegedly turned ‘deep blue’ due to pollution.

Pakistan: Cement dispatches in the first half of the 2021 financial year were 29Mt, up by 16% year-on-year from 25Mt in the first half of the 2020 financial year. The Pakistan Observer has reported that the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturing Association (APCMA) recorded an 11% year-on-year rise in December 2020 dispatches to 4.8Mt from 4.3Mt. Exports for the half were 5.0Mt, up by 15% from 4.4Mt.