France: Cem'In'Eu intends to open its first cement grinding plant in May 2018. The 0.24Mt/yr plant is located at Tonneins in Lot et Garonne, according to Les Echos newspaper. It has had an investment of Euro18m. The company is planning to open new grinding pants at the rate of one per year.

New locations include Chalon-sur-Saone in Saone-et-Loire, Portes-lès-Valence in Drôme, Montreuil-Bellay in Maine-et-Loire and Mulhouse-Ottmarsheim. Internationally the company is also considering new plants in London in the UK, Poland, Switzerland and Germany. Financing for the company is provided by Pergam, a French private equity firm that has already raised Euro33m.

Algeria: Entreprise des Ciments et Dérivés d’El Chellif (ECDE) plans to open a new 2Mt/yr production line at its plant in Chlef in June 2018. The project covers an area of 15ha and has been presented as a new cement plant, according to the El Watan newspaper. Overall the new line will increase the plants production capacity to 4Mt/yr. The company plans to increase its exports to make a return on its investment.

Philippines: Big Boss Cement has appealed against a decision by the Board of Investment (BOI) denying its application for registration because it lacked ‘proof of concept’. Big Boss’ president Gilbert Cruz said that the new cement company’s application was turned down in 2017 because it was not producing clinker, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper. It plans to open a cement grinding plant in Pampanga in March 2018.

Tunisia: Ciments de Bizerte’s cement and lime deliveries rose by 3% year-on-year to 0.63Mt in 2017 from 0.61Mt in 2016. Overall the cement producer’s turnover increased by 3.74%, according to African Manager. It reported a total turnover of US$25m in 2016. Upgrade work to the plant’s wharf is expected to increase exports in 2018 as well as receives petcoke supplies.