Tunisia: Carthage Cement has released its interim financial statements for the first half of 2024, revealing a net profit of US$11.7m, up by 48% from US$7.9m in the same period of 2023. The company's half-yearly revenues rose from US$70.8m in June 2023 to US$71.5m in June 2024. Operating profit grew by 17% to reach US$18.7m.

India: The city of Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu has entered an agreement with a cement manufacturing unit in Ariyalur to use the city’s non-recyclable plastic materials as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) to power the plant’s kilns. This initiative aims to divert substantial amounts of plastic from the Ariyamangalam dump, starting with 300t/month and increasing over time, with hopes to collaborate with more cement plants, according to the Times of India. The city generates approximately 480t/day of non-recyclable materials, with plans to eventually prevent landfill use completely.

A Trichy official said “A cement manufacturer in Ariyalur has agreed to accept 6 - 8t/day of inert plastic ‘waste’, which will be transported to the plant in a corporation truck. It will be utilised to power the kilns as a substitute for fossil fuel.”

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) will allocate US$6bn between 2025 and 2030 to improve the sustainability of its businesses. The investment focuses on SCG Chemicals and SCG Cleanergy, with the latter increasing its renewable power capacity to 3500MW by 2030 and constructing a new heat battery unit for energy storage at the SCG cement plant in Saraburi. The company is also looking to expand into Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.

President and chief executive Thammasak Sethaudom said “We focus on these businesses as they promise sustainable growth, in line with our inclusive green growth mission.”

Argentina: Holcim Argentina has introduced the first 100% electric mining truck in the quarry mining industry in Mendoza Province, according to the company. The ‘Pure Electric Mining’ truck, belonging to the XGMT brand, is reportedly set to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 225t/yr. It also claims to offer further benefits, including reduced operating costs and improved raw material homogeneity. The truck can transport up to 72t and has an energy recovery braking system, allowing the battery to be charged during braking to reduce energy consumption and improve operating efficiency.

Head of decarbonisation at Holcim Argentina, engineer Marilina Moro, said “Sustainability is at the core of our strategy, and as part of this path, we aim to reduce our impact on the planet. That means transforming each of our processes throughout the company's value chain.”