Peru: Cementos Pacasmayo’s sales rose in 2018 due to higher sales to medium-sized companies, the self-construction sector and the public sector. The cement producer said that this was the first year it had reported growth after five years of ‘flat’ volumes. Its sales rose by 3.5% year-on-year to US$379m from US$366m. Cement production increased by 2.6% to 2.35Mt from 2.29Mt and clinker production increased by 4.7% to 1.72Mt from 1.64Mt. Its consolidated earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased 14.7% to US$112 from US$97.2m.

US: Port Manatee in Florida has received its first shipment of raw materials for cement production. The Osprey I delivered 47,650t of raw materials from Europe as part of a deal with Carver Companies to renovate the port. As part of the agreement arranged in mid-2018, Carver has renovated a 7.5 hectare cargo facility with deep-water access, including the rehabilitation a 425m conveyor system on the leased site.

UAE: Arkan Building Materials has sold the closed Emirates Cement plant for US$13.6m, according to Mubasher. The unit was originally closed in late 2016 on a temporary basis due to rising gas and electricity costs. It later decided to permanently close the plant. The company continues to run its Al Ain Cement plant.

Georgia: Mamuka Bakhtadz, the prime minister of Georgia, has officially opened a US$100m upgrade to HeidelbergCement’s Kaspi cement plant. Work on the new dry production line at the site started in mid-2016. A filtration system and equipment for continuous emission control were installed to allow for online monitoring of the plant's dust and emission volumes. The project was supported by the Georgian Co-Investment Fund and Honeywell Partners.