Ethiopia: The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MOTRI) says it will regulate cement factory gate prices in its latest attempt to lower the price for end users. It has set the price from 22 December 2022 for six months, according to the Capital Ethiopia newspaper. This latest attempt to stabilise the market follows measures such as setting fixed consumer prices, limiting sales volumes for individuals and asking producers to cut distributors out of the supply chain. However, Teshale Belhu, the state minister for the MOTRI, admitted that recent control measures had made the situation worse and increased the number of illegal traders instead. The government now intends to reduce its interaction in the cement market.

The country has suffered from a cement shortage since 2020 due to low domestic production levels. This has been exacerbated by security issues, a lack of raw materials and a shortage of foreign currency.

Canada: Lafarge Canada has announced a five-year in-kind donation with the Nicomekl Enhancement Society (NES) in British Columbia. The agreement will see the building materials producer donate around US$15,000/yr in aggregates, concrete and labour to enhance the sustainability of the wild Pacific salmon population and ecosystem within the coastal area of the Nicomekl River.

Lincoln Kyne, Vice President and General Manager of Lafarge Canada in British Columbia and the US Pacific Northwest, said, “This key initiative led by NES is a great example, as we will be able to provide the required green construction materials and labour to stabilise, re-shore and line critical spawning beds for returning salmon until 2028.”

Russia: Eurocement has revealed how it reorganised its business in 2022 in response to foreign equipment suppliers leaving the country and disruptions to domestic supplies of raw materials. The cement producer was forced to take this action in response to the effects of European and US economic sanctions imposed upon Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The cement producer started logging all purchases as prices escalated, special procedures were developed for critical materials and services, a compliance department was created, its network of suppliers in Russia and from countries not part of the sanctions was expanded and the company set up its own repair units at its plants.

Madagascar: Cementis Océan Indien has launched a US$120m upgrade project to its integrated Ibity cement plant. The project is intended to increase the unit’s production capacity to 1Mt/yr from just under 0.2Mt/yr at present. A memorandum of understanding was signed by Cementis and the Ministry of Industrialisation, Commerce and Consumer Affairs in early December 2022. Completion of the project is scheduled for 2025.

Cementis agreed to buy Holcim’s businesses in Madagascar, Reunion, Comoros, Mauritius and Mayotte in late 2021.