Iraq/Syria: The Iraq-based Al-Qaim Cement plant has reportedly reached its full production capacity of 0.84Mt/yr and has begun to increase exports to Syria, according to Iraqi News which cited an announcement by the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. The plant produces 70,000t/month of suphate-resistant cement and exports 7500t of that to Syria. The plant is powered by a 30MW power station, decreasing its reliance on the national grid and eliminating interruptions to production. It launched its first cement exports to Syria through the Al-Waleed border crossing in May 2026.

Peru: Cemento Yura has inaugurated what it says is the first 3D printer for cementitious materials in Peru, according to local press. The new equipment has been unveiled in collaboration with Spain-based firm Be More 3D. It will be used to develop high-performance materials, manufacture complex prototypes and create construction solutions. It will primarily be used in Yura’s research and development laboratory to automate the manufacturing of large parts and reducing the need for moulds and formwork. The printer will work with traditional mixtures, but allow for research into the use of alternative cements, geopolymers, clays and local resources like pozzolan. It has invited universities, construction companies and designers to join the project.

Austria: Rohdorfer Zement has increased the capacity of the pilot CO₂ capture facility at its Rohrdorf cement plant to 99%. The facility can now capture 2t/day of CO₂, up from 0.9t previously. This is due to a second absorption column, which was installed in March 2026, directly behind the first. The facility also employs an oxystripper from Andritz, which has been use since July 2026. The oxystripper removes approximately 90% of the oxygen dissolved in the amine scrubbing solution to increase both the purity of the captured CO₂ and the lifespan of the scrubbing solution.

“Since the capture plant went online, we have been working consistently to further increase the plant’s performance and energy efficiency. With the second column and the oxystripper, we have reached an important milestone in this effort. At the same time, these measures have enabled us to further improve CO₂ quality in a targeted manner and to come significantly closer to meeting the very challenging requirements for storage,” said Christian Räthel, Head of CCUS for Rohrdorfer’s Net Zero Emissions Team.

Italy: Buzzi has reported that its cement volumes increased by 5.4% in the first half of 2026, reportedly driven by the consolidation of operations in the UAE. Revenue remained stable at €2.18bn and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was €482m, representing a decline of 8.2% year-on-year.

It confirmed its outlook for the full year, with EBITDA expected to be between €1.1bn and €1.2bn. Demand for the second half of 2026 is expected to be in line with that recorded in the first half of 2026.

"In Italy," a statement explains, "after the progressive slowdown observed until June 2026, sales volumes are estimated to continue to be impacted by the weakness of the residential sector and the gradual downsizing of projects related to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). However, it is believed that the price increases implemented at the beginning of the year, combined with the benefits resulting from the Energy Release measures, could help maintain satisfactory profitability levels."