Thailand: Siam Cement Group is among partners for property developer Central Pattana's planned raft of new sustainability investments worth US$289m. The Bangkok Post newspaper has reported that Central Pattana will implement initiatives with Siam Cement Group, alongside other partners, over the period up to the end of 2027. These will include new sustainability-linked financing arrangements and projects to reduce energy use.

India: UltraTech Cement has announced a plans to install a RotoDynamic Heater (RDH) supplied by Finland-based Coolbrook at one of its cement plants. The RDH uses renewably powered electrical heat, eliminating the need for cement fuels. UltraTech Cement will initially test the equipment in the drying of alternative fuel (AF) in its existing AF line.

UltraTech Cement managing director Kailash Jhanwar said “As a founding member of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), we are committed to the sectoral aspiration of delivering net zero concrete by 2050. Towards this end, we are continuously striving to innovate at every stage of the whole life of concrete. Coolbrook’s RDH technology represents an exciting technological pathway that we believe has the potential to exponentially accelerate our progress towards full decarbonisation. Every megawatt of clean energy we add to our mix makes a big difference.”

Read more about Coolbrook’s RDH in the September 2022 issue of Global Cement Magazine

India: Adani Cement subsidiaries ACC and Ambuja Cements have launched the Cement and Concrete Research and Development Facility at Kalamboli in Maharashtra. Dion News Service has reported that the focus of the centre will lie in product development, productivity enhancement and increasing the efficiency of cement and concrete production.

Adani Cement CEO Ajay Kapur said "Our new research and development facility is our reinforcement towards our collective commitment to pushing boundaries, driving innovation, and addressing industry challenges."

Hungary: The Hungarian National Professional Association of Construction Contractors (ÉVOSZ) has claimed that the government of Hungary has initiated negotiations to acquire Duna Dráva Cement and Holcim Magyarország. 24.hu News has reported that the construction industry is facing on-going cement supply issues due to a purported decline in domestic production. ÉVOSZ said that its members’ reliance on imports of cement has risen to 60% from 40%.

Duna Dráva Cement clarified that its joint owners, Germany-based Heidelberg Materials and Schwenk Zement, are ‘committed to their investment in Hungary and are not negotiating its sale.’

Meanwhile, Switzerland-based Holcim said "We are not in a position to comment on the news that the Hungarian state is negotiating with domestic cement producers and/or their foreign owners for the purpose of acquiring shares."