Global Cement News

India: Ecologists have established a connection between the activities of cement plants in Khrew, Kashmir, and massive disruptions to local red deer herds. The deer, known locally as hangul, are now mainly restricted to one national park throughout their 600km-long historic range. Scroll News has reported that Khrew, where eight cement plants are situated, adjoins forest forming an important corridor for hanguls. Local conservation campaigners say that cement plants' incursion on traditional grazing land has driven farmers' herds into this ecologically important forest.

Some zoologists class the hangul as a species in its own right. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature categorises the animal as critically endangered.

Pakistan: Fauji Cement is among 50 Pakistani industrial companies to win a prize at the 12th Fire Safety 2022 on 4 December 2022, the Balochistan Times has reported. Fire Protection Industry of Pakistan (FPIP) and the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) selected the winners for their fire safety investments, training time, awareness practices and state of equipment, with the aim of controlling incidents of fire and saving lives.

Kenya: Savannah Cement has ordered a new US$300m production line from China-based Sinoma international Engineering for its Kitui plant. The project scope covers supplying an integrated clinker production line from limestone crushing to cement packaging and logistics. The line will have a clinker production capacity of 8000t/day. Commissioning of the new line is scheduled for about two years after the contract takes effect.

Zimbabwe: Lafarge Zimbabwe has finalised a deal to sell a 76% stake in the company to Fossil Mines. The transaction is now set to conclude once the shares are transferred in exchange for the agreed price. The divestment by the subsidiary of Switzerland-based Holcim was first announced in June 2022. No amount for the transaction has been disclosed publicly.

Australia: AdBri says that the cost of an ongoing upgrade at its Kwinana grinding plant has risen to US$177m - 200m following a review of the project. Initial findings reported that the project cost had been inflated by a range of factors, including the escalating cost of construction in Western Australia and constraints on available labour. The project was originally budgeted at around US$140m. The company has already invested US$64m in it.

The cement producer is now conducting a more thorough analysis of the project. It says it might be able to ‘optimise value’ through re-scoping, cutting costs and improving the synergies with AdBri’s existing operations and logistics network. It expects the review of the project to be complete by early 2023. The upgrade was previously scheduled for commissioning in mid-2023.