Peru: Holcim has acquired a majority stake in Cementos Pacasmayo, in a deal valuing the Peru-based building materials producer at around US$1.5bn. Holcim said that it plans to launch a mandatory public tender offer to acquire additional shares in the company following the transaction, as is required by Peruvian law. Holcim said that the acquisition expands its building materials and solutions portfolio in Peru and is expected to support profitable growth in Latin America. The company welcomed more than 2000 employees from Cementos Pacasmayo to the group.

Cementos Pacasmayo operates three cement plants with a combined production capacity of approximately 5Mt/yr, as well as 28 ready-mix and precast concrete plants. The company reported net sales of US$630m in 2025.

France: Vicat’s VAIA (Vicat Advanced Industrial Alliance) carbon capture project has been selected for funding under the EU Innovation Fund 2024 programme, receiving a grant of €150m. The project will be developed at the Montalieu-Vercieu cement plant in Isère and aims to capture and store ‘nearly all’ CO₂ emissions from the facility, equivalent to around 1.2Mt/yr of CO₂. According to Vicat, the plant is the largest cement production site in France by capacity. The VAIA project also includes the development of a broader CO₂ value chain in the Rhône Valley capable of handling up to 4Mt/yr of CO₂, covering capture, transport, utilisation, liquefaction and storage.

Studies for the project are currently ongoing and a final investment decision is expected in 2027. The project is also supported by the French government under the Major Industrial Decarbonisation Projects initiative announced in February 2026.

Dominican Republic: Cementos Cibao has inaugurated a new clinker production line at its plant in Santiago during a ceremony attended by President Luis Abinader and Vice President Raquel Peña. The new line has a production capacity of 3500t/day of clinker and incorporates automation technology, emissions control systems and ‘optimal’ particle filtration, according to local press. The company said that construction of the new line had been underway for a year. The line was built by Sinoma and the company said that it will support exports to the Caribbean and other markets.

“We are very proud to be a company committed to the development of the country and the care of our environment. That is why we made every effort to ensure that this facility incorporates the technology to reduce and control emissions in real time. In this way, we comply with the strictest environmental parameters and improve our operational standards,” said Rayza Rodríguez de Cruz, Second Vice President of Cementos Cibao.

Saudi Arabia: Southern Province Cement reported a net loss of US$13m for the year ending 31 December 2025, compared to a net profit of US$51m in 2024. The company also reported an operating loss of US$11m in 2025, compared to an operating profit of US$60.5m in the previous year. Southern Province Cement attributed the decline in profitability to lower revenues and higher cost of sales, driven by increased input costs and lower utilisation rates of production lines. Additional factors included inventory adjustments related to raw materials, as well as the impact of revised depreciation for assets linked to old production lines at the Jazan cement plant, which were replaced by a new production line.