China: China National Building Material (CNBM) expects its profit to decline by 50% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2022. The group said that this will be due in part to reduced cement sales, increased costs resulting from high coal prices and a 'substantial' decline in the value of its financial assets.
UltraTech Cement receives Environmental Product Declarations for four cements
India: Four UltraTech Cement cement products have received Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification. UltraTech Cement's ordinary Portland cement (OPC), Portland pozzolana cement (PPC), Portland slag cement (PSC) and Portland composite cement (PCC) all successfully underwent lifecycle assessment studies in line with EPD requirements.
The Aditya Birla subsidiary said that 70% of its cement sales consist of blended cement. It offers over 70 different GreenPro certified products across its range.
Dangote Cement rejects Kogi State Assembly arson allegation
Nigeria: Dangote Cement has denied the Kogi State government's purported accusation that it sponsored an arson attack on the state legislative assembly complex. The Punch newspaper has reported that a fire destroyed the Kogi State House of Assembly on the night of 10 October 2022. Dangote Cement helped to extinguish the fire at 8AM on 11 October 2022, sending one of its fire engines to the scene of the disaster. The state government published a statement entitled 'Obajana: desperation sets in as imported hoodlums burn down Kogi Assembly,' in which it allegedly suggests that Dangote Cement had some involvement in the fire's outbreak ‘in an attempt to possibly destroy evidence relating to the ownership tussle between the Kogi State government and Dangote Group over the Obajana Cement Company.’
Dangote Cement's chief branding and communications officer Tony Chiejina said “As a socially responsible corporate entity, we refute this allegation and condemn this unprofessional and irresponsible attempt to smear our image before local and international investors, and thus erode our brand value. Dangote Group would never stoop so low as to sponsor thugs to destroy any property, whether it belonged to the government or an individual. This runs contrary to our business ethos and everything we stand for as a leading manufacturer with teeming customers and consumers across Nigeria and Africa. Our lawyers have been mandated to react appropriately to the damaging allegation from the Kogi State government within the full extent of the law." Chiejina concluded “We urge our stakeholders and the public to disregard such irresponsible and insane statements, as we ask all our stakeholders, namely shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, and the entire community of Obajana and Kogi State at large, to remain calm while we follow the legitimate and lawful process to resolve this matter with the state government.”
Betolar launches Geoprime concrete products in India
India: Finland-based Betolar has launched its first concrete products manufactured using Geoprime on the Indian market. Geoprime is an additive designed for use in cement-free concrete production with ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). The new concrete product range consists of precast blocks, paving slabs and tiles, and is currently on display at World of Concrete India in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Betolar's India managing director Abhishek Bhattacharya said "We are happy to introduce our first products to our customers for the Indian markets. We have now moved from laboratory tests into the production phase, and can show concretely how well this solution works. It is great to hear the feedback from the concrete industry in the region to our sustainable solution. Decarbonisation of the concrete industry is a very current and important topic."


