Global Cement News

Russia: Cemros has suspended cement production at its Belgorod cement plant due to market deterioration, reduced profitability and a rising share of imports on the domestic market. The company said that the forced downtime will be used for equipment repairs, with operations expected to resume within a few months.

Cement consumption in Russia fell by 9% in the first half of 2025, and by 10.5% in the second quarter. Consumption in the Central Federal District, including the Belgorod region, dropped by 12% in June 2025, and by 8% in the Belgorod region itself. Cemros expects the decline to reach 13-15% by the end of 2025. The producer attributed the decline to high interest rates, the end of preferential mortgage programmes and a slowdown in construction projects. Cemros said that imports in 2025 have increased year-on-year, with the majority coming from Belarus. Imports from Iran have also increased by 25% since 2024. The producer said that the total volume of imported cement will be around 4Mt by the end of 2025.

Cemros said that all employees will remain on staff with pay and benefits, and some will be relocated to other plants.

Colombia: Holcim Colombia has invested US$2m to modernise its co-processing platform at its Nobsa cement plant in Boyacá. The upgraded facility will process 100,000t/yr of waste into alternative fuels for the cement plant, raising thermal substitution to 40% in the short term, with a target of 70% by 2030.

CEO of Holcim Colombia Martín Costanian said “This project realises our dream of optimising the crushing circuit and scaling our capacity to replace fossil fuels with more sustainable and truly circular solutions.”

The system renovation includes the addition of a shredder with a nominal capacity of 10t/hr, as well as new transfer systems and a modern dosing system capable of feeding up to 20t/hr of alternative fuels to the kiln. The waste used will consist of paper, cardboard, plastics and biomass.

Manager of Geocycle José Méndez said “This project represents true circularity and a solution for the thousands of pieces of waste that end up in landfills each year.”

Argentina: Cement shipments rose by 12% year-on-year to 0.81Mt in June 2025, according to Portland Cement Manufacturers Association (AFCP) data. The total includes 0.81Mt for domestic use, up 12% year-on-year, and 5250t for export. Imports, which recently returned after a six-year absence, rose by 82% to 147t. Shipments totalled 4.81Mt in the first half of 2025, up by 13% from the same period in 2024.

However, analysts expect ‘weak and erratic’ growth ahead. “The halt in public works, the elimination of the exchange rate gap that prevents reducing costs in dollars in a sector with a high level of informality, and the fall in housing prices are affecting construction,” said consulting firm LCG.

India: Ambuja Cements subsidiary ACC has commissioned a 1.5Mt/yr brownfield grinding unit at its Sindri plant in Jharkhand. The project takes the total installed cement production capacity across Ambuja and ACC to 104.45Mt/yr.

Australia: Green360 Technologies has launched a 457t bulk calcining run of high-purity kaolin from its Pittong operation in Victoria to produce high-reactivity metakaolin as a substitute for Portland cement.

The calcined product, made from raw ore and reclaimed tailings, will be despatched for testing by industry and government partners. Assessments will focus on compressive strength, durability and resistance to environmental stressors.

Executive chair Aaron Banks said “We have rapidly moved from laboratory-scale testing to now producing commercial quantities of our innovative, high-quality metakaolin product.”

He added “Our low-carbon cement formulations and high-quality, advanced metakaolin can help potential customers, from government to private industry, reduce their usage of Portland cement without compromising on performance or cost.”