India: Ambuja Cements has placed orders with equipment suppliers for an 8Mt/yr clinker capacity expansion across two of its cement plants. The plants in question are the 2.9Mt/yr Bhatapara cement plant in Chhattisgarh and the 4.5Mt/yr Maratha cement plant in Maharashtra. Ambuja Cements will also build 42MW-worth of waste heat recovery (WHR) power capacity. The new cement capacity will be able to operate on renewable energy and use 50% alternative fuel (AF). As such, upon completion of the project, the plants will together produce 14Mt/yr of Ambuja Cements' reduced-CO₂ Blended Green Cement. The producer will fund the work through internal accruals, and expects to complete it in May 2025.

CEO Ajay Kapur said "These brownfield expansion projects are part of our strategy to double our production capacity over the next five years from the current capacity of 67.5Mt/yr. Our ongoing investments in capacity expansion and sustainability will enable us to achieve our long-term objectives, as we remain committed to delivering sustainable growth and value to our stakeholders."

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos recorded consolidated sales of US$1.18bn during the first quarter of 2023, corresponding to year-on-year growth of 18%. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) also rose, by 85% to US$158m. Cement sales volumes fell in Brazil and Bolivia, but rose in Spain. The producer noted 'pressure' from high raw materials, freight and fuel costs in Brazil.

CEO Osvaldo Ayres Filho said "Price management implemented globally to face cost inflation contributed to the positive results in the quarter, despite the still volatile and uncertain scenario in the global economy. The company remains firm and aligned with its strategic plan, financially solid and prepared for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead."

Uzbekistan: United Cement Group subsidiary Qizilqumsement says that it has awarded contracts for the upgrade of Lines 1 and 2 at its Qizilqum cement plant in Navoiy Region. Uzbekistan Newsline has reported that the producer has completed testing to ascertain the lines' parameters of operation, fuel and energy consumption and output. This will inform its decisions, with a view to reducing the cost of clinker production.

Qizilqumsement is currently in the process of building the Qizilqum plant's new 767,000t/yr Line 4, which will also increase its clinker capacity by 657,000t/yr. The producer expects this to lower the cost of its clinker production by 30%.

Colombia: Cementos Argos sold 3.9Mt of cement during the first quarter of 2023, down by 0.6% year-on-year. This contributed to a 12% rise in its consolidated revenues to US$721m. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 42% to US$127m.

President Juan Esteban Calle said "In the first quarter of the year we experienced a stable market dynamic in most of the territories in which we are present, sequential improvements in costs, especially in fuels, energy and, in some cases, raw materials and mixed macroeconomic signals that keep us optimistic about medium-term trends." He added "Beyond the constant challenging conditions, we continue to take forceful steps toward our goal of creating value for the company, our investors, customers and other stakeholders."