Nepal: The government has begun preparations to resume operations at the state-owned Udayapur Cement Industry, starting by renewing its licence to extract limestone. The licence had been cancelled in September 2024 during the previous government’s tenure. It was also announced that the Ministry of Finance will provide US$49,000 in outstanding debt that Udayapur Cement Industry owes to the Department of Mines and Geology. It is now preparing to appoint a general manager and operate the plant at its full capacity of 800t/day.

India: JSW Cement’s revenues increased by 22% year-on-year to US$3.66bn in the first quarter of the 2027 financial year. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 8% to US$577m. Nonetheless, the producer swung to a net profit of US$310m, from a loss of US$262m in the first quarter of the 2026 financial year. The former loss had been due to an exceptional charge of US$2.83bn, according to the producer.

Tanzania: The government has explained the cause of recent cement shortages in the market, attributing the situation to temporary supply disruptions. These disruptions reportedly result from reduced production at cement plants, increased demand driven by construction and infrastructure projects and higher costs across the production and distribution chain, contributing to price increases in some parts of the country, according to Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ambassador Wazir Salum. Salum said that some cement plants had undergone maintenance, temporarily reducing the production of cement and clinker. Maintenance at the affected plants had now been completed and production of both clinker and cement had resumed, with availability expected to improve as output and distribution increase.

“Maintenance at the major plants that affected the production of clinker and cement has already been completed. The government is therefore monitoring production to ensure that the increase in production is also reflected in the availability of the product on the market,” he said.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos raised its sales by 16% year-on-year to US$2.8bn in the first half of 2026, with cement volumes up by 5%, to 17.9Mt. Group adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 19%, to US$513m.

During the first half of 2026, Votorantim Cimentos secured a new US$350m committed credit facility, due in 2031, to replace its US$300m facility due in 2027. The company has invested US$598m of a US$964m investment plan for 2024 – 2028. Upcoming expenditure under the plan includes US$50.1m towards a planned 50% expansion of the Xambióa cement plant in Tocantins to 1.5Mt/yr, due in July 2028.

Group CEO Osvaldo Ayres said “Our results in the second quarter of 2026 highlight the strength of our international platform, supported by geographic and product diversification, as well as our financial robustness and disciplined capital allocation. We posted positive operational performance and continued to execute the company’s strategy with discipline, with progress in structural competitiveness, efficiency, capacity expansion and decarbonisation.”

Chief financial officer Antonio Pelicano said “Despite increased macroeconomic volatility, we maintained our financial discipline, strong operating cash flow generation and healthy capital structure. The expansion of our revolving credit line and the maintenance of our investment grade rating confirm our company’s financial strength and ability to execute our long-term strategy.”