Global Cement News

Algeria: The Souakri Group has signed a one-year agreement with a Libyan partner to supply cement by land and sea during the Intra-African Trade Fair in Algiers. The deal is valued at US$51m. Contracts signed at the fair, between Algerian and and other African companies totalled over US$300m, according to local press.

Indonesia: Domestic cement sales dropped by 3% year-on-year to 27.7Mt in the first half of 2025, down from 28.5Mt in the same period of 2024, according to the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI). Cement production also fell by 6% to 28.8Mt from 30.5Mt a year earlier.

ASI chair Lilik Unggul Raharjo said demand had contracted across most regions, except in Sumatra and Maluku-Papua, which posted growth of 4.9% and 5% respectively. He attributed the sales decline to weak household purchasing power and reduced government spending on infrastructure projects. The market remains oversupplied, resulting in a capacity utilisation rate of 56%. However, corporate secretary at PT Indocement Dani Handajani said that the company expects volumes to increase in the second half of 2025.

India: Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu has appealed to the union government to revive the defunct Cement Corporation of India (CCI) plant in Adilabad. At a meeting with senior officials, the proposals for restoration were reviewed. CCI management indicated that about US$227m would be needed to modernise the facility with ‘advanced’ equipment. Once operational, the unit could reportedly employ nearly 3000 people, according to Telangana Today.

Sridhar Babu said Adilabad would greatly benefit from the plant’s revival, but that it should remain under the government’s control and not become privatised. He also said that more than 809 hectares of limestone deposits are available in the region, providing long-term raw material security and ensuring the plant’s viability.

France: Lafarge France has signed a nuclear production allocation contract (CAPN) with EDF to secure a long-term supply of low-carbon electricity for its cement plants. The deal allocates part of the capacity from EDF’s operating nuclear fleet to Lafarge France for more than 10 years under a cost and risk-sharing mechanism tied to actual volumes produced.

The partnership aims to cover part of the electricity consumption of Lafarge’s most energy-intensive sites in France, reducing the company’s carbon footprint while ensuring competitiveness and local presence, according to EDF.

Xavier Guesnu, CEO of Lafarge France, said “At Lafarge, we are already activating all levers to reduce the carbon footprint of cement, from research and development to the industrialisation of new low-carbon products and the use of alternative energies, such as biomass. This partnership gives us visibility and access to decarbonised energy, which are essential elements for continuing our investments aimed at large-scale production of very low-carbon or even carbon-neutral cements.”

UK: Cemex UK has announced a partnership with The Pallet LOOP to roll out reusable pallets for its Rugby Cement products from October 2025. The company said that it is the first cement manufacturer to adopt the LOOP system. The initiative forms part of Cemex’s ‘Future in Action’ strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Initially, the LOOP pallets will be used for the core Rugby packed range, including Premium Cement (paper and plastic bags), High Strength and Sulphate, with expansion across the portfolio planned for later phases.

Vicki Elliott, national sales manager for bagged cement at Cemex UK, said “This is a significant step forward for the cement industry. We’ve supported The Pallet LOOP from day one, signing its charter back in 2022. Now, we’re proud to be the first in our sector to integrate this solution into our supply chain. It’s about doing the right thing, as simply as possible: reducing waste, cutting carbon and helping our customers make more sustainable choices.”

The Pallet LOOP addresses the construction sector’s reliance on single-use pallets, of which fewer than 10% are reused, generating over 250,000t/yr of wood waste, according to the company. The Pallet LOOP’s FSC-certified pallets are built for multiple trips and backed by a nationwide collection service that offers financial incentives for returns.