India: Shree Cement has commissioned a 6MW solar power plant at its Roorkee unit in Uttarakhand, located next to its existing cement operations. This raises total solar capacity at the site to 7MW. The project cost US$1.8m, and brings the company’s total solar footprint to 294MW. It is expected to offset 6500t/yr of CO₂ emissions.
Indonesia calls on cement producers to increase exports to combat oversupply
Indonesia: The government has called on cement producers to expand exports and develop sustainable products to counter oversupply, according to Antara news. This comes after a visit by the Director General at the Ministry of Industry, Taufiek Bawazier, to the Solusi Bangun Indonesia cement plant in Bogo, West Java. Bawazier said that national cement production capacity currently stands at 122Mt/yr, while demand is only around 70Mt/yr, resulting in low utilisation and inefficiency.
Bawazier said “This is a serious challenge for the industry. If left unresolved, it could lead to unhealthy business competition. Strengthening the domestic component level policy is also a priority. Currently, local cement products have achieved a 60–70% domestic content level.”
He added that production capacity could be controlled by imposing a moratorium on new cement industry permits in regions where the market is already saturated. Several cement producers, such as Semen Indonesia, already export to Australia and even the US.
Holcim to scale low-carbon solutions in Mexico under new strategy
Mexico: Holcim has placed Mexico at the centre of its NextGen Growth 2030 strategy to ‘drive profitable expansion’ in Europe, Australia, North Africa and Latin America following the spin-off of its North American business. Mexico now plays a strategic role in scaling sustainable construction solutions across the region and will allow Holcim to respond to key global trends such as urbanisation, housing shortages, resilient infrastructure and environmental sustainability.
Holcim Mexico CEO Christian Dedeu said “Mexico is now a strategic market where we will scale innovative solutions for circular and low-carbon construction. Our goal is to triple the recycling of demolition materials, double the Disensa store network and expand our sustainable offering through ECOPact and ECOPlanet.”
Dedeu added “In a region facing major social and environmental challenges, Mexico and Latin America have the potential to lead a new era of sustainable construction. At Holcim, we are committed to scaling solutions that address the climate emergency while building progress for people and the planet.”
Hoffmann Green's H-UKR 0% clinker cement certified in US
US: Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has obtained ASTM C1157 certification for its H-UKR 0% clinker cement after several months of testing and trials at the University of Miami.
The benchmark standard evaluates cements on their performance, regardless of their composition. H-UKR cement is now officially recognised as a hydraulic cement that can be used in all general construction applications, whether structural or non-structural. Hoffmann Green said that this is the first time that a 0% clinker cement has obtained this certification.
Co-founders Julien Blanchard and David Hoffmann said “This international technical recognition marks a decisive step forward in our certification process, which is part of a broader ambition to expand the applications of our 0% clinker cement through continuous innovation. It validates the reliability and sustainability of our technology on a global scale, in accordance with the most demanding standards. With this certification, H-UKR has confirmed itself as a game changer technology capable of profoundly transforming an industry that has remained unchanged for more than two centuries.”
