Global Cement News

Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry has imposed a preliminary safeguard measure on cement imports, primarily targeting Vietnam, which supplied 94% of imported cement in 2024.

The measure follows a finding that rising imports between 2019 and 2024 harmed domestic producers. The tariff applies to 40kg bags and will be in place for 200 days while the Philippine Tariff Commission conducts a final investigation. Vietnamese cement exporters have been advised to ‘monitor developments.’

UK: The University of Sheffield, the Sellafield power station, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the UK National Nuclear Laboratory have launched a €1.2m research partnership to explore the use of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) in nuclear waste encapsulation. The project will study how characteristics and amounts of calcined clays can produce cement encapsulants that support safe and reliable nuclear waste conditioning and disposal at Sellafield.

Head of the Sheffield research team Brant Walkley said “This partnership will enhance our overall programme of work focused on development of new cement technologies for the nuclear sector, and will enable our cross-sector team based at both the University of Sheffield and Sellafield to further strengthen its position as a global leader in cement science and engineering.”

Fiji: Pacific Cement has suspended its cement production following a mill breakdown.

The Fijian Holdings subsidiary has sent the damaged mill part to Australia for repairs and expects the outage to last for around three months.

Kyrgyzstan: Production of cement grew by 48% in the first two months of 2025 to 0.29Mt, according to the National Statistical Committee. Production in January 2025 was 0.12Mt. This follows a rise in cement imports by over 300% year-on-year in January 2025.

Philippines: The Pacific Cement Corporation (PACEMCO), one of Mindanao's largest cement manufacturers, reopened its plant in Surigao City, Barangay on 21 March 2025. The plant had been closed for 11 years due to financial constraints. The reopening was made possible through investments by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), which aims to revive the plant's operations and boost local economic activity.

John Paul Ang, SMC’s vice chair and CEO, led the inauguration alongside Surigao City Mayor Pablo Yves Dumlao II, Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers and Representative Robert Ace Barbers. “PACEMCO was a big part of Surigao's history and one of the region's largest companies. It is a Filipino-owned and controlled cement factory," Ang said.

Mayor Dumlao emphasised the potential of the reopening to create employment and stimulate economic growth, saying "The return of PACEMCO means new opportunities for employment, stronger local enterprise and increased revenue.”