Global Cement News

Austria: Alpacem's Austrian subsidiary W&P Zement has announced its rebranding to Alpacem Zement Austria. Alpacem said that the rebrand in Austria will be the first step of a roll-out of the Alpacem brand across its local subsidiaries.

Alpacem has subsidiaries in Austria, Italy and Slovenia.

Mexico: Cooperativa La Cruz Azul has inaugurated the new Kiln 5 at its Oaxaca cement plant in Lagunas. Local press has reported that the new kiln will increase the plant's clinker capacity by 3700t/day. Additionally, the producer has inaugurated a new weighbridge at the plant. The equipment is capable of weighing trucks of up to 100t in mass. Cooperativa La Cruz Azul's investments in the latest upgrades to the Lagunas cement plant totalled US$301m.

Cooperativa La Cruz Azul said "With these projects, multiple benefits are generated for the community, and the cooperative reaffirms its commitment to the progress and development of the region."

South Africa: PPC South Africa Holdings says that it has concluded a deal to sell 10% of its shares to employees via the PPC Employee Share Ownership Trust. News24 Online News has reported that all South African employees of the company will be eligible to buy shares, provided that they are not already currently participating in its long-term incentive programme. The total value of shares transferred under the deal will be US$20.4m

CEO Roland van Wijnen said "PPC has been built upon the shoulders of its employees, and this transaction provides a meaningful way of rewarding those in South Africa who do not participate in PPC’s long-term incentive plan to share in the creation of shareholder value. We are pleased that the terms of the transaction are such that it stands to benefit employees for many years to come.”

Israel: Nesher-Israel Cement Enterprises has received an order from the Ministry of Environmental Protection to reduce emissions from its Ramle cement plant. BALLEG News has reported that the plant violated pollution rules over non-focal emissions and particle emissions values. Nesher-Israel Cement Enterprises also reportedly failed to submit data about defects, malfunctions and abnormal emissions, following 'several incidents.'

The producer previously paid a US$1.64m pollution fine in August 2022.

India: Prism Johnson has ordered US$2.42m-worth of coal for use as cement fuel from Vikas Ecotech. Press Trust of India News has reported that the supplier will complete the order by 31 October 2023.