Global Cement Newsletter

Issue: GCW765 / 23 June 2026

Headlines


Sweden: Cemvision has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Germany-based Siemens to develop and scale plants to produce its 95% reduced-CO₂ alternative cements. Under the terms of the agreement, Siemens will act as preferred supplier of electricity distribution equipment, control systems, variable speed drives, process instrumentation, cybersecurity, plant lifecycle management, information technology/operational technology integration and plant simulation. The partners are also exploring a digital twin solution to support pre-design activities, value engineering and virtual commissioning of Cemvision's facilities. Siemens will in turn become an early customer of the producer's Re-ment circular materials-based cement.

Siemens CEO Andrea Waenerlund said "Digital twins and advanced process control can optimise cement production in ways that weren't possible before. By combining Cemvision's cement chemistry expertise with our digital and automation capabilities, we're creating a blueprint for sustainable manufacturing."


Europe: Australia-based engineering firm Worley has signed a non-exclusive owner's engineering master services agreement (MSA) with Holcim to support carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects across the producer's EU and UK cement plants. The MSA covers 14 projects, eight of which currently have backing from the EU Innovation Fund. Worley will provide engineering oversight, project management and engineering integration across multiple sites, from early-stage development through execution.

Holcim aims to capture 5Mt/yr of CO₂ from 2030 in order to achieve near-zero cement production of 8Mt/yr.


India: Cement producer Dalmia Bharat plans to raise up to US$422m in new capital to finance planned capital expenditure, working capital and investments in subsidiaries and the repayment of debt. Projects Today News has reported that the producer will raise the funds through equity shares, qualified institutional placements, Global and US Dollar American Depositary Receipts, foreign currency convertible bonds, convertible debentures and other securities.

Dalmia Bharat aims to achieve an installed capacity of 110 – 130Mt/yr by 2031, more than double its present 49.5Mt/yr. The producer is pursuing a combined strategy of expansions and acquisitions. It has forecast composite Indian cement demand growth up to that time of 6 – 7%, driven by all construction segments.


Taiwan: Far Eastern New Century Corporation has acquired a further 2.4% stake in Asia Cement (China) for US$11.7m. In a filing to the Taiwan Stock Exchange, the group recorded that it made the acquisition via its subsidiary Yuan Tone Investment. Far Eastern New Century Corporation was previously recorded as holding a 23% minority stake in Asia Cement (China). It had previously been seeking a buyer for US$63.2m-worth of its shares in June 2025.


Greece: Titan Group has won a 2026 EcoVadis Gold Medal for its performance across environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement metrics in the past 12 months. The award places the producer in the top 5% of companies assessed globally and the top 2% in the cement, lime and plaster segment.

Titan Group’s Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer Leonidas Canellopoulos said "This recognition strengthens our resolve to accelerate the transformation of our business. We remain focused on scaling solutions that enhance efficiency and increase our positive impact, embedding sustainability more deeply into our decision-making and innovation agenda."


Canada: Amrize broke ground on the modernisation of its cement plant in Saint Constant, Quebec, on Friday 19 June 2026. It said that the modernisation was the largest investment in the Canadian cement industry over the last decade, and will introduce ‘state-of-the-art’ operational efficiency and enhanced sustainability. The upgrade will reportedly improve the plant’s net carbon footprint by over 40% by 2035, offering the lowest CO₂ emissions per tonne of cement in Eastern Canada. It will also expand the plant’s production capacity by 0.3Mt/yr to a total of 1.2Mt/yr, and grow the plant’s workforce by 25%.


India: Adani Group subsidiary Ambuja Cements has partnered with UK-based decarbonisation company Leilac to develop a commercial-scale pathway for low-carbon cement production, according to a statement by the company. The company is increasing the utilisation of renewable energy, as part of its efforts to decarbonise cement manufacturing, supported by nearly 1GW of captive green power capacity. The pilot project will be implemented at Ambuja Cements’ 6.6Mt/yr Sanghi plant in Kutch, Gujarat, where Leilac’s carbon capture and hybrid electrification technology will be tested.

“The technology is designed to enable a pathway where coal consumption can be reduced to zero, while allowing alternative fuels to be used flexibly,” said Ambuja Cements.

If successful, the project could be expanded seven- or eight-fold, enabling the capture of more than 1Mt/yr of carbon dioxide. The company said the facility would be the world’s largest industrial-scale project of its kind and could provide a scalable model for low-carbon cement production in India and other markets.

Karan Adani, director of Ambuja Cements, said “The cement industry’s transition to a lower-carbon future will require bold thinking, technological innovation and collaboration across the value chain. Our partnership with Leilac reflects our commitment to evaluating next-generation technologies that can reduce process emissions while improving energy efficiency and supporting long-term sustainable growth. This initiative aligns with our vision of building world-class manufacturing operations for the future.”


Afghanistan: Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has signed a 30-year contract with a ‘private company’ for the Aybak Cement project in Feroz Nakhchir district, Samangan province. A 1200t/day cement plant will be built, worth US$67m, which is expected to create jobs for nearly 600 people, according to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

Economic analyst Abdul Zohour Madabar said "We have both renewable and non-renewable resources, so we must use our resources wisely. When extracting minerals, it should be done responsibly and not excessively, because future generations will also need them."


UK: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has held its Building the Sustainable Future: Pathways to Low-Carbon Cement and Concrete conference at County Hall, London, as part of London Climate Action Week on 22 June 2026.

Canada's deputy high commissioner to the UK, Robert Fry, opened proceedings with a call to new partners to join the Cement and Concrete Breakthrough coalition. The coalition is currently engaged in 11 key initiatives across 14 member countries, including upcoming UN Conference of the Parties (COP) Presidents Ethiopia and Türkiye.

Next, Cement Association of Canada president Adam Auer presented his government's strategy of decarbonisation as 'fundamentally modernisation and productivity,' and underlined the need to get policy conditions right for investment to continue to drive demand.

Panel discussions addressed scaling demand, driving the transition in developing countries and financing commercial implementation. Identified barriers included the absence of strong government policy signals, required operational adjustments and user-related difficulties for alternative cements in the bagged cement segment. Against this backdrop, panellists cited success stories ranging from a new Indian mandate for 100% fly ash utilisation and a successful collaboration of Ghanaian standards bodies with calcined clay producer CBI Ghana.

At the conclusion of proceedings, the GCCA launched its Innovandi Open Challenge 2026 accelerator for AI projects for cement and concrete manufacturing. Applicants have until 20 August 2026 to submit their application here.


India: Capacity utilisation in India's cement industry is expected to remain stable at around 70 - 71% in the 2027 Fiscal Year (FY2027), the 12 months to 31 March 2027,  according to a new report from Equirus Securities. While the cement industry is estimated to have grown around 6.5 - 7.5% in FY2026 and demand is expected to grow around 5% in FY2027, the pace of capacity creation is expected to keep utilisation levels broadly stable across the sector.

Industry capacity additions are projected to be 42 - 44Mt/yr in FY2027, following 50 - 55Mt/yr in FY2026. The report notes that demand remained resilient during FY2026, driven by robust construction activity, especially post-monsoon in the second half of the year, supported by sustained momentum across housing and infrastructure segments. India’s cement sector continues to benefit from rapid urbanisation, increasing housing demand and government-led investments in roads, metro rail projects, industrial corridors, ports and other infrastructure projects.


Jamaica: Five additional companies have been granted approval to import cement into country as the government seeks to close a supply gap and alleviate shortages that have affected construction activity. Speaking on 18 June 2026 during a press briefing, Senator Aubyn Hill, minister of industry, investment and commerce, said the import  approvals have been granted for six months.

Jamaica Logistics International Limited was given approval to import 0.1Mt. Rock Hard Cement will import 0.1Mt. Tank-Weld Metals was given the go-ahead for 60,000t. Island Concrete will be allowed to import 60,000t and Gore Developments has been given approval to import 20,000t. Hill also noted that The Buying House Co, which has been operating as an authorised cement importer in Jamaica since 2006, was given an expanded quota of 0.15Mt.

Declaring that the "demand supply equilibrium is coming back to normal," Hill said that approved companies are currently setting up arrangements to make their imports. "We know that the supply is here to meet that demand," he said.

The current cement shortage in Jamaica was triggered by heavy rainfall and raw material issues that impacted production at Caribbean Cement’s Rockfort plant. It was further compounded by high demand for infrastructure projects in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which affected the island in October 2025.


Switzerland/Germany: Cement producer Holcim has announced that it has completed it €1.85bn acquisition of German building materials maker Xella, expanding its building solutions portfolio. Based in Duisburg, Xella is present in 22 European markets and is expected to generate net sales of €1bn in 2026. The transaction should result in synergies of €60m realised in the third year.

Via the deal, Holcim now obtains brands for both the new-build and the energy-efficient repair and refurbishment market. These include prefabricated Ytong and Hebel autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) modular systems, Silka calcium silicate elements, and Multipor mineral insulation.


Armenia: The government is planning a further temporary restriction on cement imports. This follows previous measures that have helped to somewhat ease competitive conditions in the domestic market for cement produced in Armenia. However, in 2025, cement production in the country amounted to just 0.94Mt, a decrease of 10.4% compared to 2024. According to the Statistical Committee, cement imports came to 0.75Mt of cement for the same year, a 29.2% increase compared to 2024.


Iran: Shahroud Cement has obtained an operating licence for a 4.8MW segment of its 10MW solar plant from the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organisation. The company said that, when the entire plant is commissioned, 4.5MW is to be delivered to the national grid, with 2.5MW connected to the grid since 16 June 2026. A further 3MW is connected to the plant.

Shahroud Cement said it planned to build an additional 3MW solar unit alongside the 10MW plant to help cover potential shortfalls in grid delivery, and would report further once that is implemented and operational.


Spain: Cement consumption in Spain fell by 0.3% year-on-year to 1.47Mt in May 2026, according to data from cement employers' association Oficemen. Consumption in the first five months of 2026 rose by 7% year-on-year to 6.79Mt. Data for the period from June 2025 to May 2026 shows that consumption rose by 12% to 17.1Mt. Exports fell by 18% year-on-year in May 2026 to 344,000t. In the first five months of 2026, exports dropped by 17% to 1.58Mt. Between June 2025 and May 2026, exports declined by 14% to 4.18Mt.


Spain: Cement consumption in Spain decreased by 0.3% in May 2026 to 1.47Mt, 4820t less than in the same month of 2025, according to data published by the cement employers' association Oficemen. However, the accumulated consumption in the first five months of 2026 saw growth of 7% to 6.8Mt, 0.45Mt more than in the previous corresponding period. Exports continue to decrease. The monthly figure for May 2026 shows a 17.5% drop, bringing exports to 0.34Mt, 72,803t less than the same month in 2025. This behaviour is also reflected in the accumulated total for the first five months of 2026, which stands at 1.58Mt, 17% less than in the same period in 2025.


Europe: Eureka Shipping, the joint venture company formed by Cyprus-based SMT Shipping and Canada’s CSL Group, has taken delivery of a new self-unloading cement carrier built by Dutch shipyard Royal Bodewes. ‘Jorvik’ is the final vessel in a series of eight ships built for Eureka, as well as the company’s 10th overall self-unloading cement carrier. It will be operated primarily on short haul routes across northern Europe. The ship has a deadweight of 4250t, a gross tonnage of 2658t and a total cargo capacity of 4160m3. The system can load up to 1000t/hr and pneumatically discharge up to 250t/hr.


China: Hong Kong’s Development Bureau will test whether heavy-duty drones, weighing nearly 150kg each, can carry essential items across up to six sites over the next 12 months, according to the South China Morning Post. The bureau said it was partnering with two companies to test whether the devices could carry heavy materials such as cement for construction work. Other potential applications could reduce safety risks and save maintenance costs for public projects and facilities.

“We want to use this Sandbox X project to trial the emerging technology and see how this new, complex, unconventional concept and technology can be safely iterated, validated, applied and extended under real-world conditions in our actual sites and facilities, and then to identify challenges we will face and adjust whatever is necessary in the applications accordingly. This is the first purpose,” a bureau spokesperson said. “This will not only help lower operational safety risks and simplify daily procedures, but also effectively enhance emergency response capabilities.”

The trial run is part of a ‘regulatory sandbox’ launched in November 2025. The spokesperson added that the drones could carry items weighing up to 80kg. Using a drone to bypass obstacles on the ground and traffic bottlenecks could significantly speed up operations to save time and operating costs, while eliminating the need for manual transport, they said. It could replace multiple truck trips from one end of the site to the other, with quick, direct point-to-point aerial deliveries, posing an advantage at large, muddy or multi-level sites.


Philippines: OceanaGold Philippines (OGP) has partnered with Holcim’s waste management business Geocycle to reduce the landfill disposal of its Didipio gold-copper mine in Nueva Vizcaya, according to the Business Inquirer. The parties entered into a two-year memorandum of understanding that will divert up to 70% of the mine’s residual waste to be co-processed in Geocycle’s facility in Norzagaray, Bulacan, with OGP taking on the haulage cost. OGP said that the lifespan of its existing landfill will be extended from 1.8 years to approximately 10.8 years, and that it expects to save up to US$101,000 since it may no longer need to build another landfill facility.

“Our existing landfill facility is nearing capacity and could be full within the next year. Rather than expanding our landfill footprint, we have chosen a more sustainable and forward-looking solution,” OGP asset president James Isles said.


Ireland: Mannok’s cement plant at Ballyconnell shut down for scheduled maintenance at the beginning of 2026, and a new kiln hood was installed. The original kiln cooler Fixed Inlet Grate was installed in 2000, and had become ‘deformed’, resulting in significant ingress of false air. It was replaced by an ABC cooler inlet and outlet seal. Mannok said that the upgrades were already delivering measurable gains in energy efficiency and enabling increased fuel-switching capability. Mannok appointed Fuller as engineering, procurement and construction contractor, which supplied the kiln hood, cooler inlet and outlet seal, while G Leonard carried out the refractory works. The thermal substitution rate has reportedly increased significantly and the cooler inlet has eliminated the formation of ‘snowmen’ – the solidified build-up of molten clinker in the grate, reducing downtime and improving production reliability.

Paul Carron, decarbonisation engineering manager at Mannok, said “Projects like this are central to our strategy as we continue to decarbonise our cement operations. The successful installation of the new kiln hood and ABC cooler components is already delivering tangible efficiency gains and enabling greater use of alternative fuels. From initial planning through to execution, the project ran very smoothly, which is a testament to the collaboration between our in-house teams and trusted partners. This is another important step forward as we remain fully committed to achieving our decarbonisation goals under the Mannok 2030 Vision.”