Global Cement News

US: Martin Engineering has completed its annual October donation programme to breast cancer charity Susan G Komen in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The supplier donated US$50 per truck vibrator and $100 per 70l air cannon sold in the period. Hot pink replaced the products’ traditional orange décor.

Vibration business development manager Susie Orlandi said “As a family-owned company of four generations with over 900 employees making up our extended family, Martin Engineering is acutely familiar with the impact breast cancer has on individuals, families, friends, colleagues and communities. This disease affects such a large number of people that just about all of us have been touched by it in some way.”She added “We’re excited to get this programme back on track after the coronavirus year in 2020.”

Italy: During the first nine months of 2021, Cementir Holding recorded consolidated sales of Euro1.01bn, up by 12% year-on-year from Euro897m in the corresponding period of 2020. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 21% to Euro215m from Euro178m. Its net debt on 30 September 2021 was Euro100m, less than half that on 30 September 2020. Its third-quarter cement and clinker sales were 2.9Mt, down by 7.5% year-on-year. This was due to the impacts of pent-up demand post-Covid-19 lockdown, especially in Belgium and Turkey, in the third quarter of 2020.

Dow Jones Global News has reported that chair and CEO Francesco Caltagirone said "In the first nine months of 2021, the group reported results in line with our expectations.”

Argentina: Loma Negra’s nine-month net sales rose by 27% year-on-year to US$493m in 2021, from US$388m in the corresponding period of 2020. The company recorded adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$151m, up by 29% from US$117m. It net profit fell by 72% to US$32.1m from US$115m.

During the period, the company increased its sales of cement, masonry and lime products by 26% year-on-year to 4.45Mt from 3.54Mt. It said that bagged cement sales remained strong due to sustained demand from the retail sector, while bulk cement sales underwent a sharp recovery in the third quarter of 2021. In light of this, it forecast a relative normalisation of bagged cement sales compared to bulk in the fourth quarter of 2021.

UK: SigmaRoc has announced the ratification of its Greenbloc cement-free concrete block’s environmental credentials with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The EPD is a Type III environmental declaration with ISO 14025, providing full-lifecycle information on the product’s impacts. Greenbloc, an ultra-low carbon alternative to traditional concrete blocks, is the first product of its kind.

Managing Director Michael Roddy said “With the launch of Greenbloc, we believe that we can now offer architects, contractors and housebuilders a competitive, reliable and – thanks to our EPD certification – proven low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) blocks. Making the switch from traditional blocks to Greenbloc can reduce the embodied carbon of a typical three-bedroom house by 73%, saving the equivalent of 2.7t of CO₂ per dwelling. It is also worth noting that we have obtained additional third-party test results against the declaration of performance certificate.” He added “The world is changing for the better, and technology is facilitating greater accessibility to materials that can bring about meaningful change for the construction industry. The reception for Greenbloc has already exceeded all expectations, and we are incredibly excited for the potential it has to offer.”

US: Titan America says that 100% of its Pennsuco cement plant in Medley, Florida’s, cement production will be lower-carbon Portland limestone cement (PLC) by ‘as early as 2023.’ The cement, called Type IL, has 15% reduced CO₂ emissions compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), according to the company.

Mid-Atlantic regional president Kevin Baird said “We are serving large customers in E-Commerce, cloud services and infrastructure. These customers are committed to sustainable development and are demanding solutions for green construction. Low carbon cement, such as our Type IL, is one of the ways we are meeting the needs of our customers for these projects.”