Bangladesh: Most cement plants are operating at less than 30% capacity, far below the global benchmark of 70–80%, according to the Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA) via The Business Standard. National consumption fell to 38Mt in 2024, less than 40% of total capacity, and has declined further in 2025, forcing producers to cut output and lay off workers.

BCMA president Amirul Haque said “After Covid-19, we began recovering in 2021, driven by renewed construction. But since 2023, the situation has worsened drastically. Entrepreneurs expanded based on government demand. When projects slowed, we faced a severe cash flow crisis. Several small plants have already shut down.”

Bashundhara Cement, which has a capacity of 7.3Mt/yr, is reportedly running at 20% utilisation, while Mir Cement has reduced output to a quarter of capacity. Premier Cement is operating at around 40% capacity and Crown Cement has 60% of its capacity idle. Only Meghna Group of Industries reports growth, though utilisation remains 65%.

Switzerland: The first nine months of 2025 yielded a 2% year-on-year decline in sales for Holcim, from US$15.3bn to US$15bn. Nonetheless, the company succeeded in raising its recurring earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) by 2% to US$2.86bn. It recorded year-on-year organic growth of 3% in sales and 11% in EBIT. Holcim noted the centrality of sustainability in its growth in the period. Its sales of ECOPlanet reduced-CO₂ cement rose from 32% to 35% of total cement sales, while its sales of ECOPact reduced-CO₂ concrete sales from 26% to 31% of total ready-mix concrete sales. Its use of construction-demolition materials (CDM) in production rose by 20% year-on-year.

During the period, Holcim continued its on-going diversification through the acquisition of Germany-based walling systems producer Xella. At the same time, the company’s cementitious division continued to target ‘profitable growth in highly attractive markets,’ as exemplified through its Australia-based joint venture Cement Australia’s acquisition of BCG Cement. Across all divisions, Holcim closed 14 value-accretive transactions in the period. It spun off Holcim North America and sold its Nigerian cement business and Iraq-based Karbala Cement Manufacturing.

CEO Miljan Gutovic thanked Holcim’s 45,000 employees, saying "We are delivering on Holcim's vision to be the leading partner for sustainable construction. With accelerating net sales growth in the third quarter of 2025, we delivered strong profitable growth for the first nine months of the year, with a 10% increase in recurring EBIT in local currency and an industry-leading margin of 19%. Margin expansion was driven by our high-value strategy, scaling up our sustainable offering to meet customer demand, and accelerating decarbonisation and circular construction for profitable growth.” Gutovic confirmed Holcim’s full-year guidance for 2025, namely: recurring EBIT growth of 6 – 10% in local currency, with a margin of above 18% and free cash flow before leases of US$2.51bn.

North Korea: The Puhung Cement Factory carried out the blasting of 350,000m³ of earth on 22 October 2025, according to Korean News. The blasting allows for increased cement supply to construction sites in order to implement government policies.

Pakistan: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has approved the acquisition of Denmark-based FLSmidth’s global cement business by Pacific Avenue Capital Partners Management Company subsidiary ApS as it affects the Pakistani market. Local press has reported that the parties concluded a global share purchase agreement earlier in 2025.

FLSmidth subsidiary FLSmidth (Private) holds a non-dominant share across various cement technologies and services market sub-segments in Pakistan, while ApS has no current operational presence. The CCP’s Phase 1 investigation concluded that the transaction does not result in horizontal or vertical overlaps, raise competition concerns, create entry barriers or enhance the market power of FLSmidth (Private).