DRC: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has renewed temporary restrictions on imports of cement, clinker and lime in parts of the country as the government steps up efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported construction materials, according to Business Insider Africa. The policy allows exemptions where local production cannot meet demand, helping to prevent supply shortages. Its success will depend on whether local producers can supply enough materials at competitive prices to reduce the need for imports.

The renewed measures, signed by Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya, continue restrictions on grey cement and clinker imports into the country’s western and southeastern regions, while lime imports remain restricted in the southeast. The policy allows companies to apply for exemptions when locally produced materials cannot adequately meet industrial or consumer demand. Importers seeking waivers must provide documentation validated by SEGUCE-RDC, the country’s foreign trade platform. The decision extends a trade policy first introduced in July 2024, when Kinshasa imposed temporary safeguards to protect domestic cement and lime producers from cheaper imported products while encouraging investment in local production.

Switzerland: Holcim recorded net sales of €8.5bn, up by 5% year-on-year, in the first half of 2026. Operating profit was €1.37bn. In the second quarter of 2026, net sales reached €4.7bn. for Its Building Materials product line, which includes cement, it recorded sales of €3.42bn It said that net sales of its sustainable ECOPlanet product amounted to 40% of total cement sales. It upgraded its guidance for the 2026 financial year to ~5% organic net sales growth from 3-5% previously.

CEO Miljan Gutovic said “In the first half of 2026, we achieved strong profitable growth while completing two value-accretive, strategic acquisitions: Xella across 22 European markets and a majority stake in Cementos Pacasmayo in Peru. Holcim delivered strong organic growth in net sales in the first half, driven by its leading positions in highly attractive markets. Building on our strong results and our resilient and proven business model across all economic cycles and market conditions, we upgrade our full-year 2026 guidance.”

India: Tiruchi Corporation has intensified efforts to dispose of non-recyclable plastic waste, aiming to reduce the burden on the city's landfills, according to The Hindu newspaper. Tiruchirappalli generates about 450 - 470t/day of waste, of which nearly 70% is segregated at the source. Waste collected from households and businesses is segregated into different categories, and non-recyclable single-use plastics are sent to Dalmia Cement for use as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in its cement kilns.

Around 4000t of plastics have been diverted to cement plants for use as fuel since July 2024. 8 - 10t of plastic waste are transported by truck from resource recovery centres in all five zones of the city. So far, about 454 trips have been completed.

Ireland/US: CRH recorded revenues of US$10.8bn in the second quarter of 2026, up by 6% year-on-year, driven by demand and contributions from acquisitions. It recorded a net income of US$1.5bn, 13% higher than the same period of 2025, and an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$2.6bn. It said that cement volumes declined by 2%, impacted by adverse weather in certain markets and subdued residential demand. Its division Americas Materials Solutions, which includes cement, recorded total revenues of US$4.96bn, up by 10% from the second quarter of 2025. Its division International Solutions recorded revenues of US$3.7bn, up by 5% year-on-year. Cement volumes were up by 6% compared to the previous corresponding period.

Jim Mintern, CEO, said “We delivered a strong second-quarter performance driven by good commercial execution, favourable underlying demand and further contributions from acquisitions. We remain focused on active portfolio management, completing three non-core divestitures, while reallocating capital into higher-growth, connected businesses. Notwithstanding current geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties, we remain encouraged by the underlying demand across our key markets and are pleased to reaffirm our guidance for 2026 net income and adjusted EBITDA, leaving us well positioned to deliver another year of growth and value creation.”