Brazil: CSN has announced a US$3.4bn debt reduction plan including the sale of its cement production assets, according to Business News Americas. These have a combined capacity of 16.3Mt/yr. It also intends to sell a significant stake in its infrastructure segment, including rail, port and multimodal assets, but will continue to invest in its mining arm CSN Mineração.

According to the chair of the CSN group, Benjamin Steinbruch, the decision to sell some of the conglomerate’s assets comes amid a challenging environment, with high interest rates in Brazil, which put pressure on the company’s indebtedness.

“We believe that all our assets are quite profitable, and although we believe in an improvement in all our lines of business in 2026, we decided that waiting longer for a scenario of interest rate cuts does not make sense,” said Steinbruch. “That is why we embraced this strategy to reduce debt. This sale of assets of US$3.4bn would be equivalent to about half of our debt.”

US: Heidelberg Materials North America says it has autonomously hauled more than 2Mt of limestone at its Lake Bridgeport Quarry in Texas over the course of the past eight months. It used an autonomous haulage system (AHS) supplied by Pronto. The building materials company said that this achievement reflects a significant milestone in the its journey to lead the building materials industry in digitalisation.

Following a pilot project at its Bridgeport Quarry in 2023, Heidelberg Materials North America deployed a mixed fleet of OEM haul trucks with Pronto’s AHS at its neighbouring Lake Bridgeport Quarry. The Lake Bridgeport site transported more than 2Mt of stone from the pit to the crusher over the course of eight months.

Heidelberg Materials says that the deployment shows how digital technology can improve efficiency, safety, environmental performance and increase productivity. The switch also helped local management cope with the challenge of recruiting skilled haul truck operators at the site.

“We are excited to mark this important milestone at our Lake Bridgeport Quarry,” said Chris Ward, President and CEO of Heidlberg Materials North America. “The successful deployment of Pronto’s AHS technology at Lake Bridgeport showcases our strong commitment to leveraging innovative and scalable solutions at our operations that contribute to enhancing efficiency and safety while also addressing the recruiting challenges we face at many of our operations across North America.”

India: Nuvoco Vistas, the cement arm of the Nirma Group, 'bounced back' from losses to record a consolidated net profit of US$5.4m for the quarter ending 31 December 2025, the third quarter of India’s 2026 Fiscal Year (FY2026). It made a US$6.7m loss. Despite this it reported the company’s highest-ever cement sales volume for a third fiscal quarter at 5Mt, a 7% increase year-on-year. Consolidated revenue from operations rose by 12% to US$297m, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBIDTA) rose by 50% to US$42.5m.

Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, said, “December 2025 saw healthy double-digit growth after early demand softness from monsoons and festivities. We delivered our highest third-quarter volume and a 50% rise in EBITDA. Our Vadraj cement plant refurbishment is progressing steadily, and our focus on premium products and operational efficiency will strengthen our long-term competitive advantage.”
The company is also advancing its strategic capacity expansion in eastern India and at its Vadraj plant in Gujarat. The clinker and grinding units at Vadraj are planned to start operations in phases from the third quarter of FY2027, which will increase Nuvoco’s total cement capacity to 35Mt/yr.

Pakistan: Cement producers in Pakistan are expected to have recorded a 9% year-on-year decline in profitability for the second quarter of the 2026 fiscal year (FY2026), which ended on 31 December 2025. The sector’s profit is projected at US$68.8m compared to US$75.6m in the same quarter of FY2025. The decrease was primarily attributed to lower domestic retention prices, according to analyst firm JS Global, which also says that the sector's profitability will drop by 25% compared to the first quarter of FY2025.

Despite a rise in domestic despatches and a modest recovery in retention prices, increased fuel costs, driven by the unavailability of Afghan coal, have impacted the industry's financial performance. Net sales for the sector are expected to rise by 4% quarter-on-quarter, reaching US$384m, mainly due to a 12% increase in domestic despatches. Capacity utilisation rose to 63% in the second quarter of FY2026, up from 61% in the same period of FY2025 and 59% in the first quarter of FY2026. Regional dynamics contributed to the challenges faced by the industry. Cement manufacturers in the south of Pakistan relied on Richards Bay coal, while those in the north shifted towards Richards Bay coal due to disruptions in Afghan coal supply.

The report from JS Global also highlighted varied performances among leading cement companies. Lucky Cement is anticipated to see a 9% year-on-year increase in earnings for the second quarter of FY2026, buoyed by its diversified business operations. Meanwhile, Kohat Cement and Maple Leaf Cement are expected to report earnings declines of 17% year-on-year, affected by lower prices and elevated fuel costs. DG Khan Cement’s earnings are projected to remain flat on a year-on-year basis.