Canada: Testing specialist Giatec has launched Roxi, an artificially intelligent (AI) concrete visualisation programme for builders. PR Newswire has reported that Roxi “provides insights regarding the amount of cement that is needed, including the amount that can be removed without compromising the concrete's setting time or strength development,” aiding project completion while diminishing extraneous cement demand.

The company thanked Sustainable Development Technology Canada for its US$1.83m grant towards the development of Roxi, part of the fund’s US$44.6m total contribution to “clean technology projects” so far in 2020.

China: Gansu Qilianshan Cement has announced that it expects to record a profit of US$208m in the first nine months of 2020, up by 41% year-on-year from US$147m in the corresponding period of 2019, according to Reuters. It said the results would be in line with its growth trajectory thanks to a significant increase in demand towards the end of the first half of 2020.

Poland: The Cement Producers Association (CPA) has celebrated the 30th anniversary of its founding with the release of a report entitled ‘The Influence of the Cement Industry on the Polish Economy.’ The report states that the industry’s 13 cement and grinding plants, which employ 3500 people across the country, have received Euro2.23bn in investments since 1990.

CPA chair Krzysztof Kieres said, “We have started actions aimed at achieving emission neutrality at our 60th anniversary in 2050. These ambitious climate goals, the economic situation and legislative changes constitute new challenges for the cement industry, and it needs to look for partners with similar goals - to care for the development of the construction industry and the entire Polish economy.”

India: The state of Odisha has announced a US$1.2bn infrastructure investment package aimed at “reviving the industrial economy, which has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.” National Business Media News has reported that the plans, encompassing “micro, small, medium and large scale” projects across sectors including cement and steel production, renewable energy and IT and will create “huge job generation avenues” and significantly increase cement demand.

State governor Ganeshi Lal said, “The new industrial units will provide an added impetus to the confidence of investors in the industrial sector.”