Global Cement Newsletter

Issue: GCW779 / 30 September 2026

Headlines


Earlier this month Electrified Thermal Solutions (ETS) announced it was supplying two thermal batteries to Holcim. Then, earlier this week the European Commission (EC) published the rules for its auction of support for projects using industrial process heat. Talk about good timing! Plus, UltraTech Cement has reported that it is rolling out the use of electrical batteries at its plants to support sustainable energy usage.

ETS’ release in mid-September 2026 did not say which Holcim cement plant (or plants) would be using its products. Although the US-based company did open its European office in Amsterdam in April 2026 “to scale across EU industry.” At the time it noted that, “in Scandinavia, and parts of Western Europe, off-peak electricity pricing combined with high natural gas costs make the Joule Hive Thermal Battery (JHTB) cost-competitive with natural gas and other fossil fuels, without requiring subsidies. In larger industrial markets like Germany and France, the volatility of natural gas prices, exacerbated by geopolitical supply disruptions, has underscored the need for more predictable energy alternatives.” The obvious deployment locations might be a Holcim plant somewhere with access to plentiful renewable energy, with highly variable electricity prices, with access to government subsidies and/or one of the group’s flagship NextGen locations.

It did reveal that the initial deployment would consist of two JHTBs as part of Holcim’s electrification roadmap. The cement company will invest in ETS as part of the arrangement. The batteries convert and store electricity as heat, delivering heat of up to 1800°C from 480V to 100kV electricity. When Global Cement Magazine interviewed ETS’ CEO Daniel Stack for the March 2026 issue, he pointed out that a typical cement plant requires around 150MWth and that each JHTB provides 5MW. The units can be used in an array to target the calciner, the preheater tower or the kiln. With this in mind it will be instructive to see where Holcim decides to target in the pilot. 

Holcim has not commented on these developments. However, it invested in SaltX Technology in mid-2025. This Sweden-based company has developed a method to use electric plasma technology for high temperature applications, such as making clinker, using its Electric Arc Calciner. In its 2025 sustainability report Holcim said it was aiming to establish the world’s first plant for all-electric cement production. Readers can find out more about SaltX in the September 2024 issue of Global Cement Magazine.

ETS opening an office in Europe and Holcim ordering heat batteries coincides with the EC finalising the rules this week for its second Europe-wide auction for projects decarbonising industrial process heat. Heat batteries don’t necessarily have to be powered by process heat, but it is one way to do it. The auction has a planned budget of €1bn, sourced from revenue created by the European Union Emissions Trading System. The categories covered include: electrified options such as heat pumps, thermal storage, plasma torches and electric boilers; direct renewable heat from solar thermal or geothermal sources; and nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors. It is expected to open to bidders in early December 2026. Successful bidders will then receive a fixed premium subsidy that is linked to the related CO2 emissions reductions for up to five years. 65 projects were selected at the first auction, although this did not include any cement companies.

Elsewhere, UltraTech Cement announced this week that it had reached a new decarbonisation milestone with the news that its 3.3Mt/yr Kukurdih cement plant in Chhattisgarh had met 100% of its electricity requirements through ‘green’ energy since April 2026. It has done this through a mixture of using renewable energy sources and a waste heat recovery system. The cement company says that nearly a third of its 76 plants have sourced over 50% of their electricity from sustainable sources in this time period. Notably, UltraTech is also progressively deploying its Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). One example of this was a 7.5MW project with Gentari at the Sewagram cement plant Gujarat in mid-2025 bringing together solar and wind generation with battery storage. More such projects have followed. We have reported on another example of electrical battery storage today with the news that CleanMax and Nuvoco Vistas have announced a partnership to develop a wind - solar hybrid energy project in Bhikamkhore, Rajasthan, including a 2MW BESS.

Global Cement Weekly has covered heat batteries and energy storage now and then over the years. Other industrial heat battery companies include Rondo Energy, Antora Energy and Brenmiller Energy. Rondo Energy, for example, launched a 33MWh battery at one of SCG’s plants in Saraburi, Thailand in late 2025. How popular they become and/or whether a default deployment method emerges remains to be seen. Yet, the hope of EU funding for these kinds of projects may yield more projects in Europe. Meanwhile, UltraTech Cement is showing everyone what can be done with electrical batteries and renewable power sources.


Pakistan: Lucky Cement has appointed Imtiaz Ali as Senior Manager - International Projects. He previously worked for Bestway Cement from 2008 to 2026, as Head of Mining from 2020. Before this he worked in quarry management for Lafarge Pakistan Cement and as an assistant geologist for the Mines and Minerals Development Department Sindh. Ali holds an undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Sindh.


US: SESCO Cement has welcomed the first two ships carrying bulk grey cement to its import terminal at Port Redwing in Tampa, marking the start of full commercial operations. The ships’ arrival comes after the company celebrated the terminal’s opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony in June 2026. Each vessel will make a partial discharge at the terminal before continuing to SESCO’s Houston terminal to complete delivery. The dual-port route links the company’s Florida and Texas operations and gives the company added capacity and flexibility to meet demand. The terminal features a custom-designed ship unloader and conveyor system, which moves bulk cement from the ship’s hold directly into SESCO’s storage silos. The unloader arrived in Tampa earlier in 2026 after nearly two years of engineering work.


Austria: RHI Magnesita has confirmed that it is in advanced discussions with the board of UK-based refractory manufacturer Vesuvius regarding a possible offer for the entire share in Vesuvius. On 29 September 2025, RHI approached Vesuvius with its first non-binding proposal regarding an offer of £4.48/share (€5.24/share), which was rejected. Since then, RHI has made a series of revised proposals, which have all been rejected.

A revised proposal was made on 27 August 2026, which is currently being considered by the board. Under the terms of the latest proposal, Vesuvius shareholders would receive £4.70/share (€5.49/share) and approximately 0.028 new RHI shares for every Vesuvius share. Based on the RHI share price as of 28 September 2026, the latest proposal values each Vesuvius share at £5.49/share (€6.42/share). Vesuvius shareholders would receive approximately 7.1 million new RHI shares and hold approximately 13% of the share capital of RHI following completion of the transaction. Discussions remain ongoing between the boards of RHI and Vesuvius, but there can be no certainty that a firm offer will ultimately be made.  


India: CleanMax and Nuvoco Vistas have announced a partnership to develop a 46.4MW wind-solar hybrid renewable energy project in Bhikamkhore, Rajasthan. The project combines 20MW of wind and 26.4MW of solar capacity, supported by a 2MW battery energy storage system. Once operational, the facility is expected to generate around 100 million units of renewable electricity annually and will avoid around 62,023t/yr of CO₂ emissions under Scope 2 and around 63,463t/yr under Scope 1.


India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat), in collaboration with SwitchLabs Automobiles and Energy In Motion, has announced the deployment of 24 heavy-duty electric trucks for transportation of bulk raw materials from Karaikal Port to its cement plants in Dalmiapuram and Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu. The electric fleet will transport petcoke, slag and gypsum, replacing conventional diesel-powered freight operations. Each truck is expected to travel approximately 12,000km per month, taking the combined annual fleet utilisation to nearly 2.9 million km.

Dalmia Cement and SwitchLabs have also developed a trailer-swap operating model enabled by separate tractor and trailer registration, designed to improve utilisation and reduce idle time for electric trucks. Under this model, an electric tractor can interchange trailers rather than remaining idle during loading and unloading activities. Based on the project's expected operating profile and an assumed electricity mix of approximately 70% renewable energy and 30% electricity from the national grid, the electric fleet is estimated to avoid approximately 3735t/yr of CO₂ emissions, on a life-cycle emissions basis.


Bermuda: The Grit Cement IV docked in Bermuda on 21 September 2026, bringing 6500t of cement to replenish stockpiles in Maxcem’s silos, according to The Royal Gazette. Manager of Maxcem Bermuda, Chris Shanks, said that the company had been working ‘around the clock’ to meet pent-up demand in the wake of a cement shortage on the island over the last few weeks. By 15:00 on 23 September 2026, Maxcem had reportedly sold nearly 370t of cement in less than 48hr since the ship arrived. This represents more than 25% of a typical month’s sales. Shanks said “Trucks have been coming at all hours and we have rotated our team of four so we could provide a 24hr service. It’s just starting to slow down.”

The recent shortage had led to suppliers restricting the number of bags available to individual buyers. The supply constraints were the result of a rescheduled shipment from Cemex that had been due to arrive in mid-August 2026. Due to this rescheduling, Maxcem’s buffer of about 1500t (just over a typical month’s supply) had ‘virtually’ run out before the shipment had arrived. Demand for cement has reportedly been steady, averaging between 1300-1400t/month. The delivery schedule allows for a 6000t shipment every four months – the previous one arrived in April 2026. The next shipment is due in mid-December 2026.


Kenya: Devki Group has begun construction of its US$385m cement plant in Kitui county. The 3Mt/yr plant will be built in the Ngaaie area of Mwingi North, which has rich limestone deposits. The plant is expected to create jobs and stimulate local businesses when it begins operations in June 2027.


Canada: CRH Ventures has announced an investment in Canada-based EnviCore, developers of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) for the construction industry. EnviCore has developed a thermochemical process that can convert a range of mineral resources and industrial byproducts including clays, natural pozzolans, recycled concrete and glass, and mine tailings into SCMs. EnviCore's process can integrate with existing cement plant infrastructure to support more sustainable cementitious materials; an increasingly important capability as availability of traditional SCMs becomes more constrained in some regions. The investment will support EnviCore in building a facility with a planned production capacity of 200,000t/yr, as it advances its technology and prepares for commercial-scale production.

As part of the broader partnership, CRH and EnviCore will continue working together to evaluate the technology and explore its potential across a range of materials before pursuing wider deployment.


Libya: State-owned Ahlia Cement announced that its plants that were previously closed in August 2026 have now resumed production. The plants were forced to close by government security forces, but there were conflicting reports regarding the reason for the forced closure. The company said that it wants to restore its role in the local market and boost production rates to maintain supply.


US: Total shipments of cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico in May 2026 were an estimated 8.94Mt, representing a 0.3% year-on-year increase from shipments in May 2025. Shipments for the first five months of 2026 totalled an estimated 39.5Mt, a 4% increase from the same period in 2025. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, totalled an estimated 6.67Mt in May 2026, a 3% increase from that in May 2025. Production for the first five months of 2026 was an estimated 26.5Mt, a 6% increase from the same period in 2025. May 2026 imports of cement and clinker, including into Puerto Rico, were 2.61Mt, a 4% increase from May 2025. Imports for the year to May 2026 reached 10Mt, an increase of 2% from those for the same period in 2025.


Senegal: Cement production increased by 9% month-on-month in June 2026.

This increase was accompanied by a 39% rebound in cement exports month-on-month, according to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD). The agency also reported that local sales increased by 13% over the same period. Cement production increased by 28% year-on-year in June 2026. This growth was accompanied by a 49% increase in exports and a 32% increase in local sales.

The discrepancies observed between production levels and local and international sales can be explained by inventory movements, according to the statistical source.

The ANSD also reports that the data series has been updated following the inclusion of production from Ciments de l'Afrique (Cimaf).


Pakistan/UK: The Digital Eye system is now tracking production at all 27 cement plants in Pakistan, helping the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to strengthen tax compliance and improve revenue collection for public services. The system, first piloted in 2023, uses advanced video analytics to monitor production lines in real time, providing plants and the FBR with an independent record of production. Working alongside FBR’s existing Track and Trace System, which records products leaving the production line, it gives tax authorities greater visibility of output while reducing reliance on manual inspection and paperwork. Digital Eye was developed by a Pakistani technology company, and the solution was tested, refined and rolled out nationwide with UK technical support.

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott visited Fecto Cement alongside senior FBR officials to see the technology in operation, touring the production line, observing the monitoring system and attending a briefing on how the technology is supporting tax administration reforms. Marriott said “Digital Eye is a strong example of the UK and Pakistan working together to deliver practical change. Built in Pakistan and now operated nationwide by the FBR, it shows how innovation can be scaled to strengthen tax compliance, support fair competition and improve transparency. The UK is proud to have supported that journey through technical expertise, whilst helping build the institutional capability needed to sustain it.”

Najeeb Ullah, Chief of Reforms and Modernisation at the FBR, said “The results speak for themselves. Real-time production monitoring has already strengthened compliance in cement, and it has done so without adding to the burden on compliant taxpayers. Our focus now is on consolidating what we have built, improving accuracy, deepening the skills of our own teams, and extending the system to further sectors. Accurate production data protects the businesses that declare honestly and we are grateful to the UK for its technical support through REMIT, and we intend to take this approach into further sectors.”


India: UltraTech Cement’s integrated cement manufacturing plant at Kukurdih, Chhattisgarh, has met 100% of its electricity requirement through ‘green’ energy every month since April 2026. The 3.3Mt/yr Kukurdih plant reached this milestone through a combination of renewable power sourcing and waste heat recovery. Since April 2026, nearly a third of UltraTech's 76 cement plants in India have maintained a thermal energy substitution rate above 50% of their electricity requirement. Five of these, including the Kukurdih plant, have exceeded 95%. UltraTech is also progressively deploying battery energy storage systems across its network. As of September 2026, the company's captive non-fossil-fuel energy capacity stood at 1897MW, comprising 1463MW of renewable capacity (solar, wind and hybrid) and 434MW of waste heat recovery capacity.


India: The government has approved allotment of 101 hectares to Dalmia Cement (Bharat) for expanding its integrated cement plant at Chinnakommerla, raising the proposed cement capacity to 9.60Mt/yr. The government amended its earlier approval issued in March 2025, raising the proposed capacity from 7.23Mt/yr to 9.60Mt/yr. The revised implementation schedule envisages construction from July 2026 to December 2027, machinery erection between November 2026 and November 2027, and trial production during November to December 2027. Commercial production is targeted from January 2028.


Uzbekistan: Representatives of the Agency for Waste Management and Development of Circular Economy (FAO) and Uzbekistan’s cement industry discussed prospects for using cement kilns to treat certain categories of hazardous waste at a meeting in Tashkent on 23 September 2026. Uzbekistan’s existing capacity for neutralising and permanently disposing of hazardous waste is reportedly limited. However, participants were presented with Azerbaijan’s experience as an example. With FAO support, controlled trials were conducted there to use cement kilns to treat pesticide waste.

A potential pilot project in Uzbekistan would require preliminary work on regulatory requirements, permitting procedures, the availability of necessary infrastructure and sources of financing. In addition, individual cement plants could undergo technical assessments to determine whether they are suitable for participation.

“This roundtable is a first step towards assessing the possibilities, identifying interested cement plants and establishing the technical, regulatory and environmental requirements that would need to be met before any pilot operation could be considered,” said Arthur Shamilov, FAO agriculture specialist and lead technical officer of the project.

A specific list of plants for a potential pilot has not yet been determined. It is also not yet known which types of waste could be treated or in what quantities. Environmental monitoring of such operations remains a separate issue.


Taiwan: Government-recognised tourism factories attracted 21.36 million visitors in 2025, generating US$211m in output. The programme was launched in 2003 to help revitalise existing manufacturing sites as industries moved overseas. As of the end of August 2026, Taiwan had 150 factories that had passed the government’s evaluation process.

TCC Group Holding's oopen-ecology plant in Hualien attracted the most visitors in 2025. The site offers a glimpse into a 20-year-old industrial complex, bringing together a cement plant, power plant and industrial port. It offers guided tours and cement-making activities (by reservation only), and some areas are open to the public free of charge. TCC Group Holdings operates the plant on a non-profit basis, with the fees from guided tours, stall rentals at the market, and a fixed percentage of monthly revenue from shops within the park contributing  to the education fund of Heping Elementary School.


Nigeria: Dangote Group is pursuing a US$45bn investment programme to expand its industrial businesses and reach US$100bn in annual revenues by 2030, with Dangote Cement set to be positioned as a ‘key pillar’ of its next growth phase. Specifically the group aims to increase Dangote Cement’s installed cement capacity from 55Mt/yr to more than 80Mt/yr, as part of a strategy it describes as ‘disciplined, self-funded growth whilst delivering on yield.’ Dangote Cement also plans to expand into cement-based adjacencies including aggregates, mortars, dry mixes and ready-mix concrete or precast products.

Dangote Group said that its cement business is reporting strong cash conversion and returns on capital. Its revenues reached US$3.1bn during the 12 months to June 2026, representing a 22% year-on-year increase. The company said that its African footprint would be central to the strategy. Dangote Cement operates across 11 countries and sells into a total of 25. It recorded 3Mt of export sales in 2025.


Algeria: The Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, Kamel Rezig, has chaired a meeting with cement producers to assess export performance during the first half of 2026 and to examine ways to strengthen the presence of Algerian cement in international markets. Held at the ministry's headquarters, the meeting was part of ongoing efforts to monitor the performance of various sectors with export capabilities and to support economic operators in boosting the presence of Algerian products in foreign markets.

Rezig emphasised the need to strengthen the presence of the domestic product in African markets - which he described as ‘promising’ - given the competitive advantages enjoyed by the cement sector, which, according to the ministry, include product quality and a large production capacity. The minister also expressed his desire to expand the reach of Algerian cement to new destinations, specifically in Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean.


US: Holcim and Electrified Thermal Solutions (ETS), a leader in thermal energy storage and electric heating solutions for heavy industry, have announced an agreement to deploy the latter’s Joule Hive Thermal Battery (JHTB) at cement plants as part of the latter's electrification roadmap. For Holcim, the agreement extends work already underway to decarbonise its highest-temperature operations. For ETS, it adds a third global industrial partner to a customer base built specifically around hard-to-abate industrial sectors, including cement, steel and chemicals.

The initial deployment will consist of two JHTB units that store clean electricity as heat in electrically- and thermally-conductive bricks, discharging that heat on demand at temperatures up to 1800°C, a range largely inaccessible to electric alternatives, according to the developer. The partners did not specify the location of the project.

"Electrifying high-temperature industrial heat is one of the advanced technologies we are incorporating in our decarbonisation strategy, and this deployment allows us to evaluate its potential," said Ram Muthu, Head of Operational Excellence at Holcim. "Working with ETS gives us a path to accelerate decarbonisation as part of our industry-shaping sustainability roadmap."

"Holcim's decision to deploy our technology validates years of work to bring electrified heat to high-temperature industrial-scale applications that no other technology or company can achieve" said Daniel Stack, CEO and co-founder of ETS. "This agreement follows the recent turn-on and successful >1000hr of operation of our commercial demonstration system and shows that global industrial producers are ready to move this technology from demonstration to deployment. We look forward to expanding this relationship with Holcim over time."


Morocco: Ciments du Maroc closed the first half of 2026 with a consolidated net profit of US$58.5m, a year-on-year fall of 8.2%. According a company statement, this decline primarily reflects the financial cost associated with financing the acquisition of Asment de Témara, as well as an exceptional income from an asset disposal in the first half of 2025. The company’s profit fell by 22.3% year-on-year in absolute terms, but fell by 6.7% on a like-for-like basis.

The first half of 2026 was marked by heavy rainfall in Morroco, which disrupted the pace of construction sites. Against this backdrop, the national cement market contracted by 1.3% compared to the first half of 2025. Despite a recovery in subsequent months, performance remained below that of the same period in 2025. Ciments du Maroc highlighted that it has successfully maintained cost control through industrial excellence programmes, the commissioning of photovoltaic solar power plants in Aït Baha and Safi and ‘rigorous’ management of operating expenses.

For the full 2026 financial year, Ciments du Maroc maintains its objective of improving operating results, despite its first half performance. The group appears to be banking on the continuation of major infrastructure projects, housing support measures and an interest rate environment favourable for residential investment.


Ecuador: Cement production in Ecuador reached 492,300t in August 2026, representing a 3.7% increase compared to the 474,900t recorded in July 2026, according to data from the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE). Inventories reached 46,900t, a monthly increase of 78.9%. The BCE notes that this rise suggests a strategy of precautionary inventory accumulation by cement companies in anticipation of the approaching El Niño climate phenomenon and the potential risks it poses to raw material supplies. The institution surmises that the sector is bolstering inventory levels to mitigate potential production chain disruptions and ensure a continuous supply to the market.

Regarding shipments, trends differed compared to August 2025, with significant increases in bulk cement deliveries, driven largely by precast concrete element production and contractors. Cement demand varied by province, with notable growth rates in Esmeraldas, Tungurahua and Imbabura.


India: UltraTech Cement has announced that it has commissioned 3.6Mt/yr of greenfield integrated capacity at Petnikota, Andhra Pradesh, and 1.0Mt/yr through debottlenecking at existing plants in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Patratu (Jharkhand) and Nathdwara (Rajasthan). UltraTech said that its total domestic cement capacity now stands at more than 204.7Mt/yr. It said that the additional capacity would strengthen the company’s presence in the southern, eastern and northern markets, extend its market reach and improve logistics efficiency.


Italy: Colacem and energy supplier Engie have signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the development of a photovoltaic system at Colacem’s Ragusa plant. With an installed capacity of 5MW, the plant will be able to produce over 9.6GWhr of electricity annually, which will be used for the plant’s consumption. As a result, the Ragusa plant will avoid approximately 800t/yr of CO2 emissions. The photovoltaic system will be built on a total ground surface area of ​​approximately 40,000m2. Engie will handle the design, installation and commissioning. For the entire duration of the agreement, Engie will guarantee Colacem access to the electricity generated by the system at ‘favourable’ terms compared to market prices and will cover approximately 20% of the plant's electricity needs.


UK: Peak Cluster has revised the proposed pipeline route for its cement and lime carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, which involves Breedon Cement’s Hope plant, Tarmac’s Tunstead plant and Holcim’s Cauldon plant. The route was revised following over 5500 responses to Peak Cluster’s Phase 1 consultation, and as a result of ongoing technical studies, engineering assessments and environmental surveys. It said that the previously 300m consultation corridor was reduced to approximately 100m, but that this was wider than the land expected to be required permanently for the pipeline, and allows scope for further design development, environmental mitigation and construction planning as the project progresses. Approximately 15% of the proposed route was amended.

It will continue to consult with landowners throughout the year and, in November 2026, it will hold a consultation on the proposed locations for pipeline infrastructure, including above ground installations and block valve stations, temporary construction areas and access arrangements in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Cheshire.


Spain: In Spain, 11Mt of cement were consumed between January and August 2026, representing a growth of 5% compared to the same period of 2025, according to the latest figures published by Oficemen. From September 2025 to August 2026, consumption increased by 9% to 17Mt, 1.4Mt more than in the preceding period (September 2024 to August 2025). However, the decline experienced in July (-1.6%) and August (-5.2%) 2026 resulted in a combined loss of 86,000t compared to the same months in 2025.

“These figures align with the anticipated slowdown in cement consumption for the second half of the year, which we already warned about mid-year. In fact, we believe this slowdown will intensify even further in the coming months, ending the year at around 2%,” said Elena Guede, CEO of Oficemen.


In the first eight months of 2026, exports fell by 15% to 2.6Mt, representing a loss of 0.47Mt compared to the same period in 2025. In July, exports fell by 13%, while in August they dropped by 22%. Therefore, approximately 0.14Mt of cement sales abroad were lost compared to the same period in 2025. Rolling year data from September 2025 to August 2026 also shows a decrease of 17%, with a volume of 4Mt, 0.83Mt less than in the previous period (September 2024 to August 2025).


Russia: Loading of cement on the OJSC Russian Railways network grew by 6% year-on-year in August 2026 and amounted to 2.2Mt. The largest proportion of cement, 2.1Mt, went to the domestic market, up by 6% year-on-year, while exports amounted to 0.1Mt, up by 7%.

The regions that recorded the highest volumes of cement transported were Krasnodar Territory (0.26Mt), the Sverdlovsk and Volgograd regions (0.16Mt) and the Kemerovo region (0.16Mt). Positive trends were recorded in the summer of 2026 after a long period of declining transportation - growth in May 2026 was 4%, in June 2026 growth was 6.5% and in July 2026 growth was 4%.