Global Cement News

UK: MOF Technologies, a Northern Ireland-based company whose technology efficiently captures CO₂ directly from industrial sources, is rebranding to Nuada. The new name is an ode to the company’s Celtic origins and is inspired by the ancient mythical king, Nuada, whose name means ‘to capture.’

Nuada says that its next-generation ‘heatless’ technology is ‘redefining carbon (CO₂) capture,’ slashing the energy penalty and costs associated with CO₂ capture.

Nuada has combined advanced solid adsorbents, named MOFs, with proven vacuum swing technology to enable the separation of CO₂ from flue gas using pressure instead of heat. This ‘heatless’ system represents a step change in innovation that slashes the energy penalty and cost associated with carbon capture, the main barriers for mass adoption in industry.

The company says that the new branding and direction have come at a critical time as the world is sprinting to decarbonise and mitigate the impacts of climate change. This is particularly the case in hard-to-abate industries like cement production, where carbon capture is essential to reaching Net Zero targets.

Georgia: Heidelberg Materials has completed the divestment of its joint venture in Georgia. It previously held a 45% state in CaucasusCement Holding BV (CCH), the parent company of HeidelbergCement Georgia Ltd and Terjola Quarry Ltd, Tbilisi.

Heidelberg Materials sold its share to its long-term joint venture partner Cement Invest BV, an investment company that is jointly managed and owned by the Georgian Co-Investment Fund and Hunnewell Partners. The joint venture’s scope included two integrated cement plants, 14 ready-mixed concrete plants and two aggregates plants. The partners agreed to not disclose the financial terms of the transaction.

Heidelberg Materials said that these latest steps reflect its continued simplification of its country portfolio and would help to position the company as front runner on the path to Net Zero and circularity in the building materials industry.

Tunisia: Carthage Cement saw a 35% rise in turnover during the first quarter of 2023 to reach US$37.3m. The company explained that the improvement was mainly due to a 64% increase in export turnover, which rose from US$4.0m in the first quarter of 2022 to US$6.5m in the first quarter of 2023. Local turnover was also higher, rising by 30% year-on-year to US$27.6m.

Uganda: Hima Cement and local authorities are investigating the circumstances in which an eight-year-old boy allegedly drowned on 21 April 2023 in a quarry lagoon at a site formerly operated by Hima Cement. Poshele Bwambale Isingoma, a resident of Katoke village in Bugoye sub-county, was reportedly among other minors who had gone out to play. Isingoma had attempted to follow ducks that were swimming close to the side of the lagoon but slipped in and got into difficulty.

Hima Cement’s country CEO Jean-Michel Pons said the fatal incident occurred at a quarry previously operated by Hima Cement, saying “On behalf of Hima Cement, I convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family for this unfortunate tragedy.” Pons added that the company’s management was ‘co-operating fully with the authorities in their investigation to establish the cause of the incident.’

Peru: Data from Asocem, the Peruvian Cement Association, shows that national cement dispatches reached 958,000t in March 2023, a 17% decrease compared to March 2022. Asocem members made 894,000t of cement, a 20% decrease. They produced 770,000t of clinker, a fall of 18% year-on-year.

Asocem members exported 13,000t of cement, a 27% decrease compared to March 2022. They exported 36,000t of clinker, a 19% decrease. Peru imported 8000t of cement and 44,000t of clinker, year-on-year falls of 85% and 72%, respectively. Most imports came from Vietnam, Chile and South Korea.