Global Cement News

US: Titan America has successfully converted its cement operations to 100% Portland limestone cement (PLC) production. As part of its transition, the producer established two new 70,000t storage domes to serve its key markets.

President and CEO Bill Zarkalis said "I would like to thank all members of the Titan America team who are able and energised to provide the highest performing products to our customers, and do so with our 2030 goals for a sustainable future at top of mind. Our conversion to 100% Type IL PLC production and our expanded investments to deliver lower carbon products and solutions to customers showcase the progress we have made and our commitment to accelerate our contribution to addressing climate change."

Indonesia: Germany-based Beumer Group says that it has secured a contract with Semen Tonasa to supply its 40 - 50kg bag palletising system for the producer's Celukan Bawang cement plant in Bali. The system's multi-programme interface offers custom adjustment between all common packing patterns. Commissioning is scheduled for mid-late 2023.

Beumer Group said "Global influences such as delivery bottlenecks, shortages of raw materials and logistics problems continue to massively disrupt the supply chains. Nevertheless, the system provider will be able to send the machine to the customer in seven months. The target is to install and commission the machine in the third quarter of 2022."

Peru: Cemento Gloria subsidiary Cemento Yura's Yura cement plant has allegedly been the source of intermittent dust emissions, water contamination and destructive vibrations during its 50 years of operation. In May 2022, local authorities declared four houses uninhabitable due to cracks in walls and roof collapses. Local people have attributed the damage to the vibrations from the Yura cement plant's activities. In November 2022, local water supply is unavailable for over 40 minutes every day, allegedly also due to the plant's operations.

The La República newspaper has reported that Yura residents have launched a protest against the alleged environmental mismanagement outside of the company's plant.

Ireland: Ecocem has announced the launch of ACT, an alternative materials-based cement ingredient capable of reducing the CO₂ emissions of cement production by 70%. The developer says that any existing cement plant can produce ACT at comparatively low cost. The technology is globally scalable, and Ecocem expects to achieve full commercial availability across its Benelux, France, Ireland and UK markets by 2025.

Ecocem managing director Donal O’Riain said “We are eager to work closely with the cement industry and with policymakers to support the scaling and development of a new generation of low-carbon cements. Current policy priorities on decarbonising cement have now been overtaken by technology. Fully effective deployment of ACT requires policymakers to provide effective support well beyond their traditional emphasis on CCUS as the core cement decarbonisation technology.”

Ecocem's investors include France-based building products company Saint-Gobain and US-based Breakthrough Energy Investments.

Kenya: Bamburi Cement says that it expects its full-year earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to fall by 25% or more year-on-year during 2022. The Kenyan Wall Street newspaper has reported that the producer attributed the anticipated decline to increased energy costs and reduced cement demand.

During 2021, Bamburi Cement recorded a turnover of US$338m and a profit for the period of US$11.3m.