US: Taiheiyo Cement subsidiary CalPortland laid off 53 employees at its Redding cement plant in California on 10 April 2026, effective 15 June 2026. It described the measure as a ‘temporary reduction of staff’ amidst declining local cement demand. Nonetheless, the plant will continue to operate at full capacity for the time being.

CalPortland president Bill Mullen said "This was a difficult decision and we recognise the impact it has on our employees and their families. We are committed to supporting our affected employees during this period and will provide resources to assist them through the transition."

Nigeria: Dangote Cement has upgraded its compressed air system at its Gboko plant in Benue State with the installation of eight Kaeser rotary lobe blower units by JMG Industrial. The upgrade followed a comprehensive system audit and airflow analysis by the supplier, according to the Daily Independent newspaper. The improvements reportedly increased airflow efficiency by approximately 23%, with peak airflow capacity rising by nearly 47% compared to the previous system.

Plant engineer Natu David said “The performance improvement we achieved with the new Kaeser blower system has significantly enhanced airflow stability across our production lines. We have seen measurable gains in efficiency and reliability. JMG Industrial demonstrated strong engineering capability from system evaluation through full commissioning.”

US: US Representative for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District Ryan Mackenzie has written to President Donald Trump to request an executive order to designate cement as a Critical National Security Material. This would prioritise domestically produced cement in federal procurement and require agencies to review regulations hindering domestic production, including restrictions on alternative fuel (AF) use.

Mackenzie’s district includes the cement-producing Lehigh Valley metropolitan region, where Amrize, Heidelberg Materials and Titan all operate plants. Meanwhile, supplier Fuller Technologies is also headquartered there, following a June 2025 acquisition by Pacific Avenue Capital. Local press has reported that producers face a ‘drag’ on residential and commercial construction due to high interest rates, partly offset by data centres and warehouse construction activity.

Heidelberg Materials North America senior vice president for sustainability and public affairs David Perkins said "Over the last several years, it has become increasingly difficult to expand and to add additional production capacity in the US. Permitting has been a significant inhibitor for additional capacity investment.” Perkins added “We are looking at this year with some caution, but there are some glimmers of optimism. There's so much volatility on the political front that it's very difficult to see what that's going to look like."

Chile: Peru-based producer UNACEM’s Chilean subsidiary has signed an agreement with Cementos Transex to produce cement at a plant in Puente Alto, according to Gestion newspaper. The company said in a notice to the Superintendency of the Securities Market that the agreement will enable it to ‘achieve greater logistical efficiencies’ using the installed capacity of the plant in Puente Alto. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Unacem recently highlighted the company’s performance in Chile, which increased its revenue by 27% to US$24m in the fourth quarter of 2025. It began operations in Chile in 2018.