Syria: Al-Badia Cement will invest over US$200m to expand its grinding and packaging lines and build a second production line, raising capacity to more than 5Mt/yr, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency. Chair of the board Imad Abdul Qader al-Muhaidib said the announcement coincided with the visit of a Saudi delegation of 130 investors, led by Saudi investment minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz al-Falih, to sign bilateral economic agreements.
Mayur Resources rebrands as Pacific Lime and Cement
Papua New Guinea: Mayur Resources has rebranded as Pacific Lime and Cement to reflect its transition from a resource developer to an integrated supplier of lime, cement and building products. The country’s demand is projected to grow in 2026, according to local press reports. The decision also comes amid the government’s target of reducing cement imports.
Managing director Paul Mulder said “Our rebrand to Pacific Lime and Cement reflects our transformation into an integrated industrial materials company focused on nation-building in Papua New Guinea. The new name positions us clearly in the market as a supplier of cement, quicklime and processed building products.”
UltraTech Cement's Reddipalayam plant to host carbon capture testbed
India: Tamil Nadu will host one of five national carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) testbeds aimed at lowering CO₂ emissions in the cement sector in a step towards the country’s 2070 net-zero target, according to The New Indian Express newspaper. The testbed will be located at UltraTech Cement’s Reddipalayam plant in Ariyalur district, supported by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani. The project is part of a Department of Science and Technology (DST) programme, which will trial an oxygen-enriched kiln system capturing up to 2t/day of CO₂ for mineralisation into concrete products. Other CCU testbeds are being established in Rajasthan, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, with JK Cement and Dalmia Cement involved.
Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said the DST was currently processing financial sanctions for the projects, and full-scale implementation is expected in 2025.
Ndovu Cement to build 600t/day clinker plant in Kenya
Kenya: Ndovu Cement, owned by Karsan Ramji & Sons, will build a 600t/day greenfield clinker plant and a limestone quarry in Mukawa, Kajiado County, according to regulatory filings. The project has already secured approval from the National Environment Management Authority. The company said the limestone quarry will ensure a reliable supply of 900t/day of limestone.
The facility is expected to reduce reliance on imports following a 17.5% levy on clinker imports introduced in July 2023, according to the Business Daily Africa newspaper. The measure was aimed at boosting local production and creating jobs, but has since led to a drop in cement consumption due to price increases and a fall in imports. Kenya-based cement producers had reportedly opposed an attempt to increase import duty on clinker, instead requesting a grace period of four years, until 2026, to allow them to build their own clinker production facilities.
Karsan began as a quarry operator in Kitengela, Kilifi and Nakuru, before beginning cement production in 2015 and launching Ndovu Cement in June 2015.
