Global Cement News

Bolivia: Cement exports from Bolivia have dropped significantly, falling from US$10.5m in 2017 to just US$0.2m in 2023, as reported by the National Institute of Statistics and the Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE). Bolivia’s main export market is Paraguay, with over 95% of cement exports heading there. The decline reportedly began when the Paraguayan government started to protect its local industry by limiting imports, according to CE NoticiasFinancieras.

Global: Heidelberg Materials has launched the sixth edition of the Quarry Life Award, encouraging global participation to develop sustainable quarry management solutions. Open to researchers, students, communities, non-government organisations (NGO) and nature enthusiasts, the competition offers a prize fund of around €300,000 and aligns with the company's commitment to the Global Goal for Nature. Partnering with organisations like BirdLife International, the initiative aims to enhance biodiversity at extraction sites. Since its inception in 2011, the Quarry Life Award has spurred over 450 projects aimed at biodiversity protection. The 2025 edition will see Heidelberg Materials open its quarries for selected projects, with Türkiye, Egypt, Kazakhstan and Indonesia joining as new participants.

Chief sustainability officer Nicola Kimm said "The Quarry Life Award is a key element of our biodiversity strategy, which relies on strong partnerships with stakeholders to engage across science, industry, and local communities. To truly move from biodiversity loss to gain, a concerted effort is needed by everyone, working together in the recovery of nature at a landscape scale."

Germany: Berlin-based AI startup Alcemy, in partnership with German cement producer Spenner, has produced a commercially viable low-carbon cement alternative named ‘CEM X’. This product reportedly reduces carbon emissions by 65% and has less than 30% clinker content, according to the company. The composition incorporates a blend of 33% granulated blast furnace slag and 37% limestone.

Alcemy CEO Leopold Spenner said "With 'CEM X,' we have reached a significant milestone on our journey to decarbonising the cement industry.”

Spain: Domestic cement consumption in Catalonia fell by 8.5% year-on-year in the year to May 2024, reaching 2.1Mt, while production decreased by 6.6% to 3.14Mt. Exports also declined by 18% to 1.6Mt during this period.

According to Ciment Català, the statistics confirm the ‘sluggishness’ of the domestic market and the difficulties Catalan companies face in competing in other regions and countries. It warned that the situation could become worse due to the general economic situation in the region. Salvador Fernández Capo, president of Ciment Català, said that investment in infrastructure was likely to be further delayed.

Pakistan: Cement dispatches in May 2024 reached a nine-month high at 4.3Mt, marking an 8% rise year-on-year and a 45% month-on-month increase from April 2024, driven largely by a surge in exports. Over the first 11 months of the 2024 financial year, total dispatches amounted to 41.7Mt, up 3% from 2023 with exports growing by 66%, according to Pakistan Press International. However, domestic dispatches fell by 4%.