Global Cement News

Estonia: The Estonian Competition Authority has granted permission to Schwenk Eesti to gain a majority stake in ready-mix concrete producer Betoonimeister. Baltic Business Daily News has reported that Betoonimeister's six ready-mix concrete batching plants are located in Tallinn, Tartu, Johvi, Tapa and Parnu.

Germany: Heidelberg Materials has placed a Euro750m sustainability-linked bond as part of a Euro10bn medium-term note programme. Interest on the bond is linked to group CO₂ emissions reduction, according to key performance indicators up to 2026 and 2030. Heidelberg Materials is committed to reducing its emissions per tonne of cementitious product by 30% between 2021 and 2030, to 400kg/t.

Heidelberg Materials' chief financial officer René Aldach said "The placement reinforces our aspiration to achieve the most ambitious climate targets within the industry and to increase the share of sustainable financial instruments to over 70% by 2025. With the denomination of Euro1000, we are the only company on the capital market to date to also offer retail investors the opportunity to invest in sustainability-linked bonds."

Vietnam: New cement lines will raise Vietnamese cement production capacity by 4% year-on-year in 2023 to over 120Mt/yr. Vietnam News Summary has reported that upcoming new capacity scheduled to commence operations during the year include a 4.5Mt/yr line at a Xuan Tanh Cement plant and a 2.5Mt/yr line at a Long Son Cement plant.

Vietnamese cement demand was 65Mt in 2022. Several producers suspended cement lines during the second half of that year due to high costs and unfavourable market conditions.

India: Operators of limestone mines in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar District have suspended quarry operations indefinitely in protest against the Karnataka state government's increased licensing royalties and rules requiring drone surveillance. The companies also demand that the state government cease to implement new policies affecting them. The Times of India newspaper has reported that the strike has impacted a total of 10,000 jobs, both at quarries and downstream in the building materials and construction sectors.

Bolivia: The Bolivian National Institute of Statistics (INE) recorded total national cement production of 3.3Mt during the first 10 months of 2022, up by 12% year-on-year from 2.9Mt in the corresponding period of 2021. Meanwhile, cement sales rose by 5.6% year-on-year to 3Mt, from 2.84Mt. Compared to 2019 volumes, cement sales fell by 5.6% from 3.96Mt. Nonetheless, Bolivian Cement and Concrete Institute (IBCH) general manager Marcelo Alfaro said that the results 'consolidated the rebound' that began in 2021. Cement sales volumes previously dropped by 23% year-on-year to 3.03Mt in 2020, amid successive Covid-19 lockdowns.

Fábrica Nacional de Cemento (FANCESA) commercial manager Álvaro Cuéllar said "FANCESA is making the necessary efforts to meet its share of the domestic market." Cuéllar added "We are close to 9Mt/yr of capacity for a market that in 2019 approached 4Mt/yr. That is why we have many kilns stopped and the industry is working at half speed."