UK: The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has called on the government to favour ‘British-made’ materials, including cement, in procurement. The cement industry is currently excluded from the Energy Intensive Industries (EII) Compensation Scheme and may lose competitiveness against imports due inadequate policy responses to the incoming EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), according to the association. Energy costs are reportedly ‘sky high,’ while sustainability policies reportedly cost the sector an extra €95.9m in 2025, up by 82% decade-on-decade from 2015 levels.

British cement production reduced its CO₂ emissions by 63% between 1990 and 2025, and could achieve a further 75% reduction through the deployment of current carbon capture projects up to 2035, according to the MPA. UK cement imports from outside the EU reached a 10-year high in March 2026, following a diversion of former EU import streams to the UK in order to avoid CBAM charges.

India: A new report from market analyst ICRA forecasts cement volume growth of 6 – 7% in India’s 2027 financial year (FY2027), the 12-month period to 31 March 2027. This is less rapid growth than was seen in FY2026, when cement production volumes rose by 8.6% year-on-year on the back of higher demand from the housing and infrastructure sectors. ICRA said that in the first two months of FY2027, production volumes had increased by 8.3% year-on-year to approximately 85Mt.

Net sales prices rose by 7% in FY2026 and are likely to further increase by around 3 – 5% in FY2027. Input costs remained largely stable in FY2026, but fuel and freight costs, which are linked to global crude oil prices, have been trending upward and could further increase due to volatility depending on geopolitical developments in the Middle East, potentially exerting pressure on the sector's cost structure.

ICRA also reported that the country’s installed capacity rose by around 43 Mt/yr in FY2026, with a further add 30 – 34Mt/yr due to be commissioned in FY2027. Capacity utilisation is expected to remain at 70 – 71%, broadly in line with levels seen in FY2026.

India: Italy-based Bedeschi and Chanderpur Group have signed a partnership agreement for the supply of bulk material handling equipment. The partners will offer apron and surface feeders, belt and pipe conveyor systems, crushers and sizers, ship loaders and unloaders, stacker reclaimers and wagon tipplers for use in various sectors, including the cement industry.

In a post to LinkedIn, Chanderpur Group acknowledged the combined advanced technology expertise, local manufacturing capacity and lifecycle support capabilities of the partners.

Togo: Cimtogo, the Togo-based subsidiary of Heidelberg Materials, has launched Ecocim, an ‘environmentally-friendly cement’ that replaces its Super Rapide product while boasting a reduced CO₂ footprint. The low-clinker blend emits 467kg of CO₂/t, down by 4% from 485kg/t, with similar strength and technical performance. The company says that this reduction will represent a significant reduction in emissions if the product is used at scale.

The Ecocim product is also the first in Togo to meet the country’s new TGN 002 standard. "Ecocim embodies Cimtogo's commitment to supporting the evolution of the construction sector and promoting more responsible solutions," explained Cimtogo’s managing director Ebenezer Anim Somuah.