Global Cement News

Pakistan: Thatta Cement has approved the issuance of a US$19.5m Sukuk, a type of financial bond that complies with Sharia law, to finance the expansion of its production capacity or to acquire an operational company.

In a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange, the company said that the Sukuk includes a green shoe option of US$1.8m. The funds, along with internally generated resources, will be used to expand existing production capacity or acquire an operational company.

Thatta Cement said the initiative is designed to accelerate growth, diversify revenue streams, strengthen its competitive position and generate sustainable returns for shareholders.

Gabon: The Council of Ministers, chaired by Head of State Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, has announced a ban on the import of clinker from 1 January 2027, according to Gabon Actu news. Local clinker production ceased in 2014, leaving Gabon dependent on imports to supply cement for construction projects. The president said that the reliance on foreign clinker has placed a burden on the trade balance and hindered infrastructure development.

Authorities said that the decision is part of a broader strategy to promote economic autonomy and revive national industry. The government expects clinker production to restart within a year, with support from industrial partners and available domestic resources.

France: Axians IAS has successfully implemented its VAS Yard Management software at its 1000th plant. The system is designed to digitise and optimise loading and logistics in the bulk materials industry. It went live across all 14 Heidelberg Materials France cement facilities, including nine production plants and five terminals. The 1000th site is Heidelberg’s Bruneseau terminal in Paris, where the software now manages fully automated truck loading without requiring on-site personnel. In the first week following the rollout, the 14 plants processed more than 3000 delivery notes involving both trucks and full trains.

Jean-Luc Degrange, project manager at Heidelberg Materials France, said “Planning and executing the rollout of this large-scale project across 14 plants was a unique challenge for our team and Axians. Together, we successfully completed this project. We congratulate Axians IAS on its 1000th implementation and wish them continued success with the next 1000 deployments.”

Spain: IKN is progressing with its satellite replacement project at Grupo Cementos Portland Valderrivas’ Fábrica Els Monjos plant. The project includes the replacement of a cooler with an IKN grate cooler, with a new cooler building, burner and a complete vent air dedusting system. On pier two, IKN is fitting a new shell section and replacing the equipment on the pier, including a new base frame, rollers with bearings and CFU.

The company reported two major milestones: the new kiln section, including the tyre, was successfully lifted into place as one piece, shortening installation time; and the pre-assembly and positioning of the cooler, which was moved into its final position.

Brazil: Cement sales in August 2025 fell to 6Mt, a 2.5% decline compared to 6.15Mt in August 2024 and down 2.5% from July 2025, when sales stood at 6.16Mt, according to preliminary figures from the National Cement Industry Union (SNIC). Total sales, including exports, reached 6.01Mt, also down by 2.5% year-on-year. Cumulatively, sales between January and August 2025 rose by 3% to 44.2Mt, compared to 43.0Mt in the same period of 2024.

By region, the Southeast remained the largest market, selling 2.75Mt of cement in August 2025 (down by 2% year-on-year), followed by the Northeast with 1.26Mt (down by 0.6%), the South with 940,000t (down by 7%), the Centre-West with 745,000t (down by 0.7%), and the North with 298,000t (down by 4%).

The slowdown comes despite record levels of formal employment and higher wages, as consumer debt remains high at 49%, close to the all-time peak of 49.9% in July 2022. Consumer confidence declined in August 2025 amid concerns about the economic outlook.

High interest rates, standing at 15%, continue to weigh on housing demand and the construction sector’s confidence index fell to its lowest level since May 2021, while industry confidence also declined to its weakest point since the Covid-19 pandemic. Tight monetary policy, uncertainty and new US tariffs on Brazilian products have further clouded the outlook.

Paulo Camillo Penna, president of SNIC, said “The federal government's goal for the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program to build two million homes between 2023 and 2026 will enable the consumption of 10Mt of cement during that period. Structural masonry and concrete wall construction systems have been advancing throughout the country due to their cost-effectiveness, agility, competitiveness, and the Brazilian cement industry's efforts to engage and train professionals in construction companies.”