US: Heidelberg Materials North America has begun test well drilling at its Mitchell cement plant in Indiana as part of the CarbonSAFE carbon capture and storage (CCS) project led by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS).

The drilling started on 22 January 2025 to assess the geology beneath the plant, which is located in the Illinois Basin, for CO₂ storage potential. The test will evaluate three carbon storage formations to a depth of 2210m to determine if the site can safely store 50Mt of CO₂ over 30 years.

The project began in early 2023 with seismic data collection across 87km of roadways, leading to the installation of the geologic test well.

Greg Ronczka, vice president of Carbon Transport & Storage Development said "This is an exciting step for the project as we learn which potential formations may be suitable to permanently and safely store the CO₂. This knowledge will help us design the injection and observation well network and allow us to prepare a complete and accurate US Environmental Protection Agency Class VI permit application."

India: Star Cement will build a US$367m integrated cement plant in Assam.

The producer signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government on 26 February 2025, the final day of the Advantage Assam business summit. The summit attracted 164 investment proposals across 15 sectors on its opening day.

India: UltraTech Cement's board has approved the separation of Kesoram Industries' cement business, effective from 1 March 2025. Under this plan, Kesoram Industries cement business will join UltraTech Cement.

The producer will issue one equity share of US$0.11 for every 52 Kesoram Industries shares. The merger will increase UltraTech Cement's production capacity by 7Mt/yr. The companies' boards first approved the merger on 30 November 2023, with the demerger previously scheduled for November 2024.

Mexico: Holcim México has mitigated 1.7Mt of CO₂ emissions in housing and infrastructure projects throughout the country in 2024, according to a press release, through its ECOPact, ECOPlanet and ECOCycle sustainable products.

Holcim’s ECOPact low-carbon concrete reduces CO₂ emissions by at least 30% and represents 15% of its concrete sales, with a target of 27% by 2027. Its ECOPlanet cement range reduces CO₂ emissions by 35-65% relative to traditional blends and accounts for 56% of cement sales, with a target of 77% by 2027. ECOCycle technology incorporates recycled construction and demolition materials into concrete for non-structural applications like pavements.

Turkmenistan: Lebap cement plant produced 112,000t of cement in January 2025, up by 72% year-on-year, according to Trend.

The producer said that it has implemented ‘modern technologies’ to ensure a steady supply of cement for construction, and uses local raw materials to decrease prices. It reportedly exported 108,000t of cement to Uzbekistan in 2023.

India: Prism Johnson recorded a 4% year-on-year decline in its nine-month sales, from US$632m in its 2024 financial year to US$607m in its 2025 financial year. Its net loss was US$8.6m, compared to a US$22m profit in the previous financial year.

India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat) plans to expand its cement plant in Mylavaram, Andhra Pradesh. The producer will invest US$321m to to more than double the plant’s clinker capacity from 4.6Mt/yr to 12.6Mt/yr, its cement grinding capacity from 2.6Mt/yr to 7.6Mt/yr and its waste heat recovery capacity from 12MW to 28MW.

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board will hold a public hearing on 27 March 2025 over the plans, the New Indian Express newspaper has reported. Local residents have raised allegedly ‘unaddressed’ issues, including disruptions to watercourses, increased dust pollution and possible structural damage from increased blasting.

Colombia: Cemex is ‘exploring’ the possible sale of its business in Colombia, Bloomberg has reported.

Cemex previously delisted Spain-based Cemex Latam Holdings from the Colombian Stock Exchange in 2023.

India: The Adani Group has launched new investment plans in the states of Assam and Madhya Pradesh, including in their cement sectors. Chair Gautam Adani says that the group will invest US$5.73bn in Assam and US$12.6bn in Madhya Pradesh. The Business Standard newspaper has reported that the latter investment will generate over 100,000 new jobs and involve the construction of a new smart city.

India: JSW Group is actively seeking investment opportunities in Assam’s cement sector. Besides cement production, the group is reportedly investigating power plant opportunities in the state.

The Business Standard newspaper has reported that JSW Group Chair Sajjan Jindal noted the strategic importance of North East India as one half of a ‘dual-engine’ Indian economy.