Global Cement News

UK: The South Downs National Park Authority has published its Area Action Plan for the site of the former Shoreham cement plant in West Sussex. The plan will guide the development of the site into a new mixed-use development. The Sussex Express newspaper has reported that the authority will hold a public consultation from 7 June 2022 to 2 August 2022, at which it will set out detailed policies for planning applications. Their scope will include biodiversity and ecology, landscape and design, recreation and tourism, the economy and jobs, new homes, cultural heritage, transport and climate change.

India: Ramco Cements’ earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the 2022 financial year were US$169m, down by 17% year-on-year from US$204m in the 2021 financial year. The producer’s profit after tax also rose by 17%, to US$115m from US$98m.

The Hindu Business Line newspaper has reported that the company attributed its full-year earnings decline to increased fuel costs and reduced cement prices. In the fourth quarter of the 2022 financial year, power and fuel costs rose by 88% year-on-year to US$60.1m from US$31.9m.

Uzbekistan: United Cement Group (UCG) has successfully completed the modernisation of the grinding units at its Kuvasay cement plant in Fergana. The work consisted of installation of protective armour on the inner surface of mill drums and mill ends and the replacement of bar partitions between chambers with sectional partitions. This increased the total mass of the cylpebs to 43t from 39t and improved the mills’ efficiency. UCG also upgraded the units’ dust removal equipment, replacing their original electrostatic precipitators with RIF–0500–03 K and FRKI 360 bag filters. The group carried out the modernisation in collaboration with the Uzsanoatkurilishmateriallari Association and the Fergana Regional Committee for Environmental Safety.

Egypt: Arabian Cement more than doubled its consolidated sales year-on-year to US$57.4m in the first quarter of 2022 from US$23.4m in the first quarter of 2021. During the quarter, the producer recorded a profit of US$3.19m, compared to a US$343,000 loss in the corresponding quarter of 2021.

Brazil: The Falcão Bauer Quality Institute (IFBQ) has certified LafargeHolcim Brasil’s CP III-32 blast furnace slag cement for all construction applications. The certificate confirms that the product offers 50% reduced CO₂ compared to the average cement on the Brazilian market.

The Jornal Dia Dia newspaper has reported that sustainability manager Bruno Hallak said “The IFBQ is an institution recognised by the market and this certification confirms that we are on the right track. The production processes and methodologies evaluated can even be reproduced in other units, according to their local characteristics, increasing the gain for the environment.”

LafargeHolcim Brasil previously obtained IFBQ certification for its CP III-40 blast furnace slag cement, which offers a slightly less reduced clinker factor than CP III-32 cement, in 2021. It was the first cement of its type in Brazil to receive the certification. The company produces both cements at its Vitória grinding plant in Espírito Santo.