UK: Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has warned that its raw materials suppliers are raising prices due to the ongoing war in Iran. During an update call accompanying the release of a trading statement, the company said that it was seeing increasing requests for price increases and surcharges. However, it added that it had “negotiated strongly on contracts for this year with some success.” In a trading statement it said that “build cost inflation is now expected to be low to mid single digit for 2026.” The company’s key raw materials include bricks, cement, concrete, timber and roof tiles.

The company has also warned in its annual reports since 2021 of the risk that carbon pricing may have upon the price of some its raw materials, including cement and steel. In the medium term, there are plans to include these costs in land valuations and/or pass them onto customers via raised house prices.

Taylor Wimpey’s revenue grew by 13% year-on-year to €4.44bn in 2025 from €3.93bn in 2024. Its profit before exceptional items fell by 5% to €326m from €343m. However, high cladding fire safety costs reduced its overall profit considerably.

Afghanistan: Construction has begun on the Safwan cement plant in Jabal Saraj district, Parwan province, following completion of exploratory work confirming suitable raw materials. The project is estimated to cost around US$225m, according to Tolo News. It includes the installation of 9000 solar panels to supply part of the plant’s 25MW power demand, and aims to increase domestic production and reduce reliance on imports. The plant is expected to create around 5000 jobs and support economic development in the region.

The head of exploration at Al-Falah contracting company, Mohammad Shoaib Shahzad, said “The geotechnical phase has been successfully completed, and land levelling is now in progress, as the terrain is uneven.” He added that 80% of this process is now complete.

Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the first phase of Yaobai Cement’s Moroto integrated cement plant on 24 April 2026, a 6000t/day clinker production line. The US$300m project is designed to produce 2Mt/yr of clinker and 3Mt/yr of cement upon full operation, reducing clinker imports and supporting domestic and regional markets. Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, said Uganda now has five cement plants with a combined production capacity of about 9Mt/yr. In 1986, it only had two plants producing 600,000t/yr.

The plant will supply markets including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and western Kenya, and is expected to create more than 1500 jobs in the first phase and over 3500 jobs at full capacity. The project is also expected to save an estimated US$200m in foreign exchange from clinker imports.

Afghanistan: Construction has begun on the Yatim Taq cement plant Jawzjan Province, with a US$160m investment, according to local press. The project will have a capacity of 3000t/day of cement and is scheduled for completion within two years. Officials said that it will support efforts to reduce reliance on cement imports and achieve self-sufficiency in cement production.

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum previously signed a contract with Turkish construction firm 77 in October 2024 for the project.