Togo: The government has introduced three new cement standards aimed at improving product quality, ensuring fair competition and enhancing safety in the construction sector.

The standards were presented to producers and importers at a meeting in Lomé, led by the ministry in charge of investment promotion and economic sovereignty, alongside the Haute Autorité de la Qualité et de l’Environnement and the Agence Togolaise de Normalisation.

The new framework establishes technical requirements for cement composition, performance and testing of the cement sold in Togo, with the aim of ensuring that products comply with recognised specifications. According to the ministry, the measures will help prevent the circulation of substandard materials that could compromise infrastructure safety and consumer protection. The reform is also intended to create a level playing field between domestic producers and importers, while improving overall construction quality.

Togo’s cement market is dominated by four companies: Heidelberg Materials, through CimTogo; CIL Metal (Cimco); WACEM; and Dangote Cement.

Brazil: Votorantim and Huaxin Cement have entered talks to acquire the cement division of Cia. Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) for a purchase price as high as US$3bn. CSN is evaluating the sale with Morgan Stanley and expects to conclude transactions in the third quarter of 2026, but talks are still in the early stages, with other companies also in the running. CSN’s debt rose by 11% to US$8bn in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company reportedly plans to use shares in its cement division as collateral, the size of which may amount to US$1.3-1.5bn.

Slovenia: Austria-based producer Alpacem Cement and Slovenian photovoltaic solutions provider Enertron are developing a 20MW solar power project with a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Anhovo, western Slovenia. The project will expand the existing solar facility by adding more than 25,000 panels and include a BESS with 16MW operating power and 32MWh capacity. The plant is expected to generate around 20,000MWh/yr of electricity. Alpacem said the project will increase the share of electricity from its own renewable sources from 4% to 18% and reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 5000t/yr. Completion is scheduled for May 2028.

Bangladesh: Cement producers have rejected claims by the US Trade Representative over alleged overcapacity in the sector, stating that production reflects domestic demand driven by infrastructure projects and economic growth, according to The Daily Star. The comments come amid a US trade investigation into Bangladesh and more than a dozen other countries, reportedly examining whether their policies and production practices contribute to global overcapacity that could harm American manufacturing. In its complaint, the US cited unused capacity in Bangladesh as evidence of ‘unfair trade.’

The Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association said that the country has 41 plants with a combined capacity of 86.0Mt/yr and domestic demand of 39.8Mt in 2025, up by 6% year-on-year. The country exports a minimal amount of cement, with around 20,000t/yr going to India. The association said that installed capacity reflects long-term planning and seasonal demand rather than overproduction. The deputy managing director of Fresh Cement Mohammod, Khourshed Alam, said that cement demand in Bangladesh has grown at an average annual rate of 8%, and that if this continues at the current rate, the existing capacity could be fully absorbed within eight to nine years.

Alam said “Bangladesh’s cement capacity should not be interpreted simply as overcapacity, as the sector is preparing for future demand in a growing economy. In a country of 170 million people with ongoing urbanisation and infrastructure development, production capacity must anticipate future demand.”