Global Cement News

Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry says that it is considering banning Bureau of Philippines Standards-certified companies’ cement from bearing the label ‘Made in the Philippines’ where it was produced in another country. The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines has complained that the labels constitute false advertising.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said that any regulative action would follow a thorough review, but “offhand, if products are not really manufactured here, they cannot be labelled as ‘Made in the Philippines.’”

Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement says that independent tests have confirmed that the radioactivity levels of cement produced at its 0.9Mt/yr Tochigi plant in Sano, Tochigi Prefecture are “below the lowest detectable limit,” meaning that the product is safe. The company said, “We hope that you will continue to use our products with peace of mind.”

Production at the plant was disrupted in 2011 when it was discovered that it was co-processing sewage sludge sourced from near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima Prefecture. The power plant suffered a nuclear meltdown following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that led to widespread radioactive fallout.

Mexico: The board of directors of Cemento Cruz Azul has asserted legal control of its Cementos y Concretos Nacionales (CYCNA) subsidiary cement plants in Puebla and Aguascalientes following accusations of ‘looting’ by partners in the company. In a video statement José Antonio Marín, president of the board of directors, said that the move would give the producer greater control over its operations since all cement would be registered in an internal audit programme, according to the Milenio newspaper. He alleged that some partners of the company had sold cement manufactured at the units independently.

José Antonio Cárdenas has been appointed manager of the CYCNA plants to replace Benito Rodríguez Fayad. Fayad allegedly had links to Cruz Azul’s former director Guillermo ‘Billy’ Álvarez, a former director of the company who is currently being investigated by law enforcement for links to organised crime and money laundering.

Mexico: Cemex says that Carbon Trust has validated its roadmap to decarbonise global operations in line with the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach (SDA) 2-degree scenario (2DS) developed by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The validated roadmap is intended to help the company to achieve a 35% reduction of net carbon emissions by 2030. The findings validate Cemex's roadmap for reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

The Carbon Trust has assessed the technical feasibility of the plan based on guidelines defined by international institutions including the International Energy Agency, the Cement Sustainability Initiative, and the European Climate Research Alliance. The CO₂ reduction methods include the use of alternative fuels, using decarbonated raw materials, renewable power projects, and novel cements, among others. The validation also included a review of Cemex's commitment to implement the scheme based on governance mechanisms and business planning.

“The magnitude and complexity of change required by a company such as Cemex to decarbonise its global operations is significant. Our assessment provides the organization’s management, investors and stakeholders with an independent validation that its commitments are backed up by sound assumptions and planning,” said Aleyn Smith-Gillespie, Associate Director Advisory at the Carbon Trust.

Austria: Waste processing specialist Lindner has celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for its new headquarters. The company says that the 45,000m² site will also encompass a new “state-of-the-art waste processing technology production plant.” It says that the facility will enable it to better serve the industries that depend on its expertise, including the cement sector. “That’s why it is so important to us to constantly expand this know-how, develop new solutions and systematically prepare and pass on the knowledge gained,” it added.