India: In a major success for railway reforms, Indian Railways has recorded a 170% cement movement in the final four months of the 2026 Fiscal Year (FY2026) compared to the same period of FY025. The increase comes after Indian Railways introduced innovative bulk cement tanker containers and strategically-located rail terminals for improved logistics around the country.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the new system has made loading and unloading easier while also reducing material loss. Cement manufactured in one location can now move directly to consumption centres in specialised tank containers, reducing multiple handling processes and improving plant-to-market efficiency. As the containers are of a standard shape and compatible with ready-mix concrete equipment, cement reaches construction sites in ready-to-use form. This has reduced two stages of handling, leading to lower logistics costs and faster turnaround.

The minister reported that the improved cost efficiency had been particularly significant for housing demand, as it supports the goal of making housing more affordable for low and middle income families by easing pressure on construction costs across the value chain.

Such has been the success of the scheme that Indian Railways is now working on a similar reform for fly ash transportation. Reviewing the sector with senior officials, Vaishnaw urged officials to tap the vast potential in the fly ash transportation market, noting that nearly 300Mt/yr of fly ash is produced in the country, but only about 13Mt/yr is used.

Nigeria: Lafarge Africa’s shareholders have approved a plan to rename the cement maker as HBM Nigeria Plc, marking the formal shift to its new Chinese majority owner Huaxin Building Materials (HBM). The decision was approved at the company's annual general meeting on 30 April 2026. The board was authorised to amend the company's articles and take the steps needed to complete the name change.

The rebrand follows Holcim's agreement in December 2024 to sell its almost 84% stake in Lafarge Africa to HBM in a deal valued at about US$1bn. HBM is one of the world's largest cement producers and has been expanding across Africa since the start of the 2020s.

US: Eco Material Technologies, a CRH company, officially opened its new pilot processing centre and the expansion of its testing laboratory at its Materials Testing and Research Facility (MTRF) in Taylorsville, Georgia, on 14 May 2026. The supplementary cementitious material (SCM) producer and supplier said that the 1500m² facility, which includes a ball mill, classifier, rotary dryer and ES ECOsystem carbon offloading system, enables end-to-end evaluation - from beneficiation through performance testing - allowing it to rapidly and accurately assess composition and reactivity to strengthen development and durability.

“This new pilot processing centre and the expansion of our research capabilities strengthen our ability to move from innovation to implementation at scale,” said Grant Quasha, president of Eco Material Technologies. “By advancing how we process and refine diverse material streams alongside pilot production and testing of our advanced technologies, we can convert underutilised resources into reliable, high-performing cementitious products and bring those solutions to market faster. Our MTRF facility plays a central role in ensuring every material we deliver performs in the field. Combined with the additional advanced laboratory resources and expertise available at both Ash Grove and CRH, this facility is ideally positioned to lead innovation in cementitious materials and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of construction.”

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos reported net sales of US$1.26bn, up by 15% excluding exchange rate effects, compared to the same period of the previous year. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 25% to US$152m and the company’s cement sales volumes increased by 4% year-on-year to 8Mt in the first quarter of 2026.

Within the scope of the company’s US$1bn investment plan for Brazil in the period 2024-2028, it said that US$558m is currently being invested in projects ‘with flexibility to accelerate or reduce the pace of investments,’ depending on economic performance and market conditions. The investment plan for Brazil is reportedly on track to make 3.7Mt/yr of additional capacity available in the country by the end of 2026.

CEO Osvaldo Ayres said “We finished the first quarter with solid operational and financial performance, posting consistent growth in a period when the sector was affected by seasonal factors. We made steady progress regarding our investments focused on structural competitiveness, capacity expansion, decarbonisation and new businesses. In the quarter in which we celebrated our 90th anniversary, we remained firmly committed to the execution of our strategic mandate.”