Mexico: Cemex has launched Vertua, a range of low and net-zero CO₂ concrete products, in Mexico. Vertua uses a geopolymer binder solution created by Cemex’s Research and Development Center in Switzerland. It forms “one of the main components of the ambition to deliver net-zero CO₂ concrete for all products and geographies by 2050,” according to the company.

Ricardo Naya, the president of Cemex Mexico, said, “With Vertua, we are taking a decisive step in addressing climate change in Mexico and the world, by offering a line of concretes with up to 70% lower carbon emissions. In Cemex, we embrace the circular economy concept and put it into action by offering our customers solutions like Vertua to keep them at the forefront of sustainability efforts."

India: Shree Cement plans to mark Vijay Diwas, the Indian commemoration day for the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, with free donations of cement for the families of armed forces personnel who died in battle between 1999 and 2019. Under the Naman scheme, the family or the next of kin of a deceased veteran will be given free cement to build a house on a plot of land up to around 370m², according to the Times of India newspaper. The cement can be obtained in person from any of Shree Cement's manufacturing facilities spread across India.

Tanzania: Tanga Cement has won the award for the overall best-presented financial report for the 2020 financial year at the National Board of Accountants and Auditors (NBAA). The Daily News newspaper has reported that the award is the company’s fifth consecutive win in the category.

Chief accountant Isaac Lupokela said, “Everyone who prepares auditing knows that there is a competition behind that gives us a lot of motivation to do better. But professionally large accountants are the ones who make sure companies operate. Properly prepared calculations help those who use them to make better decisions.” The producer also won best-presented report in the manufacturers category.

Pakistan: Cement dispatches in the five months to 30 November 2020, the first five months of the 2021 financial year, were 24Mt, up by 17% year-on-year from 20Mt over the corresponding period of the 2020 financial year. Data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) shows that exports grew by 22% to 4.4Mt from 3.6Mt. The Nation newspaper has reported that November 2020’s dispatches were up by 4% year-on-year to 4.5Mt from 4.3Mt, while domestic demand rose by 6% to 3.7Mt from 3.5Mt. Five-month demand also rose, by 16% to 19Mt from 17Mt.