Belarus: Belarus Cement Group (BCG) will export 67,000t of cement to Russia by rail in May 2024, using its own train, which will complete 18 runs. So far, the BCG train has completed 9 runs to the Central Federal District of Russia, delivering 37,000t of cement.

The Ministry of Architecture and Construction of Belarus said "This month, the BCG has launched a fixed-route train of its own hopper wagons to deliver cement to Russia. The first train was dispatched from the Belarusian cement plant (Kostyukovichi, Mogilev Oblast) to Moscow Oblast.”

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) has begun construction of a commercial heat battery supplied by Rondo Energy at its cement plant in Saraburi Province. It will be the first heat battery in Southeast Asia and the first heat battery deployed at a cement plant, according to the company. The project is a collaboration between Rondo Energy and SCG Cleanergy, a wholly owned subsidiary of SCG. Rondo Heat Batteries capture intermittent electricity and store energy as high temperature heat in bricks, to deliver continuous industrial heat and power on demand. This installation will convert local solar power into continuous zero-carbon heat and power for cement production.

President of Rondo Energy, Eric Trusiewicz, said "Electrification of cement production requires a large-scale and low-cost energy storage solution, as renewables are not available 24/7 but cement production needs to be."

Vietnam: Vietnam has produced 75.7Mt of cement in the first five months of 2024, a rise of 1.9% year-on-year, as reported by the government-run General Statistics Office (GSO). In May 2024, cement output is projected to have reached 17.4Mt, up 7.3% year-on-year.

Indonesia: PT Kobexindo Cement has entered an agreement to construct a new cement plant in South Aceh, despite a national moratorium on such developments. The project, under China-based Hongshi Holding Group subsidiary Zhejiang Hongshi Cement, plans a US$621m investment for a facility with a 6Mt/yr capacity, according to the Jakarta Post.

The Indonesian central government's moratorium, aimed at curbing oversupply in the cement market, prohibits new cement plants except in specified eastern regions. This edict arose as national cement production significantly exceeded demand, according to the Indonesia Cement Association (ASI).

ASI president Lilik Unggul Raharjo said that the move by South Aceh regency not only violated the ban but also threatened the viability of three state-owned cement companies in Sumatra. Raharjo said "These companies are guaranteed to go out of business. The Industry Ministry will conduct a technical verification of foreign direct investment in the cement industry before the permit is issued.”