Global Cement News

India: JK Lakshmi Cement increased its full-year sales during the 2023 financial year to US$786m, up by 19% year-on-year from US$662m during the 2022 financial year. Over the same period, the producer's net profit dropped by 23% year-on-year to US$44.6m from US$57.7m. This was primarily due to a 24% rise in its total costs to US$722m from US$584m.

MoneyControl News has reported that JK Lakshmi Cement's vice chair and managing director Vinita Singhania said "Despite an unabated increase in the price of fuel, the company has been able to record satisfactory performance by increasing its efficiency parameters, optimising its product mix and geographies and focusing on several green initiatives."

Canada: A study led by Douglas Geoffrey in Calgary, Alberta, has patented a method of producing cement from calcium carbonate precipitated in the carbonation of brine. The method mixes the mineral with magnesium oxide and cures it to form cement.

Geoffrey noted that the brine may derive from multiple industrial processes, including fossil fuel and potash production, geothermal power generation and desalination.

Uzbekistan: United Cement Group (UCG) has planted 3200 saplings in Navoi Region under the government's Green Land initiative. Uzbekistan Daily News has reported that the Green Land initiative seeks to plant 1bn new trees and shrubs across the country between 2022 and 2026.

UCG subsidiary Qizilqumsement's general director Sergey Melnikov said “UCG has been actively involved in the Green Land project in cooperation with local authorities, environmental organisations and residents of the region. Concern for the ecology of the territory where the production is located is a trend of the modern cement industry, which is fully consistent with our internal policy and high environmental and social responsibility." He added "All plants of the holding are being modernised with regard to green technologies.”

Saudi Arabia: China-based Sinoma International Engineering has won an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build Southern Province Cement's upcoming Jizan cement plant, in the province of the same name. YiCai Global News has reported that the plant will have a capacity of 1.83Mt/yr. Commissioning is scheduled to follow 27 months after the start of construction. Sinoma International Engineering's contract covers installation of the entire line, from limestone crushing to cement bagging. The value of the work is US$300m.

Fellow CNBM subsidiary Sinoma Overseas Development previously won a US$220m contract with Yamama Cement for transferal of its Riyadh cement plant's new Line 7 from its old plant to its new location.

India: Indian industrial companies plan to increase their capital expenditure (CAPEX) investments by 14% year-on-year in the current, 2024, financial year, the Financial Express newspaper has reported. UltraTech Cement says that it will more than double its CAPEX investments to US$1.55bn during the year (1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024). Adani Green Energy, the renewable electricity subsidiary of Ambuja Cements' parent company Adani Group, has the highest planned investments of any Indian industrial company. It also plans to more than double its CAPEX spending, to US$1.69bn in the 2024 financial year.