Global Cement News

India: The Saffron Growers Association (SGA) has said that cement plants in Kashmir are causing dust pollution, to which the association attributed the decline of the local saffron industry. Down to Earth News has reported that the SGA alleges that the state’s traditional crop has ceased to be profitable because of extra costs arising from the fall of dust during flowering season. The association added that pollutants such as nitrous oxides (NO_x) and sulphur dioxide (SO₂) can also affect saffron’s growth.

The SGA called on authorities to regulate the construction of cement plants and their emissions more closely.

India: Adani Group subsidiary ACC has completed its acquisition of the outstanding 55% stake in Asian Concrete and Cements for US$93.2m. The Economic Times newspaper has reported that ACC expects the acquisition to strengthen its market position in North India.

Asian Concrete and Cements owns the 1.3Mt/yr Nalagarh cement plant in Himachal Pradesh and the 1.5Mt/yr Rajpura cement plant in Punjab. The assets raise the installed capacity of ACC to 38.6Mt/yr and that of Adani Group to 77.4Mt/yr. It plans to reach 106Mt/yr in the 2026 financial year, and 140Mt/yr in the 2028 financial year.

Saudi Arabia: Sinoma CDI says that it has won a contract with Eastern Province Cement for the construction of a new 10,000t/day line at the producer’s 3.5Mt/yr Al Khursaniyah cement plant. The new line will more than double the plant’s capacity to 7.15Mt/yr and cost US$271m, according to Mist News.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Hungary-based Talentis International Construction completed its acquisition of Lukavac Cement at the end of December 2023. SeeNews has reported that the conglomerate first signed a letter of intent with Lukavac Cement’s former owner, Austria-based Asamer Baustoffe, in mid-2023.

The acquisition adds Lukavac Cement’s 650,000t/yr Lukavac cement plant and Vijenac limestone mine to Talentis International Construction’s existing Southeast European assets, situated in Croatia and Romania.

India: UltraTech Cement has deployed five electric clinker trucks at its Dhar cement plant in Madhya Pradesh. Asian News International has reported that the trucks will convey clinker to the producer’s Dhule grinding plant in Maharashtra. The company expects the trucks to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 680t/yr.

UltraTech Cement is committed to electrifying 500 vehicles across its operations by the end of June 2025.