Global Cement News

China: Huaxin Cement says it has been approved for a US$5.8m preferential carbon emission reduction loan. It is the first such finance arrangement in the local cement sector. The People's Bank of China established a carbon emission reduction support tool in November 2021 to guide financial institutions to increase green and low-carbon credit support. Huaxin Cement’s Huangshi subsidiary put together its application based around a waste heat recovery project. It then worked with the Bank of Communications and the People's Bank of China. The cement producer says that its other subsidiaries are now working on similar applications.

Vietnam: ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions Vietnam (TISV) and the Vietnam Institute of Building Materials (VIBM) have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between both parties on the research and application of new technologies towards reducing the CO₂ emissions of cement production. At the signing ceremony, Lukas Schoeneck, the chief executive officer of TISV confirmed his commitment to collaborate with VIBM, under the guidance of the Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh. The parties now plan to identify a lighthouse project that will use alternative fuels in response to an increase in the global price of coal.

Pham Van Bac, Head of the Building Material Division at the Ministry of Construction, said that Vietnam is implementing the a strategy for the development of building materials for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050. The plan for the cement industry is to limit the use of natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy while promoting the maximum use of waste streams from industries and domestic sources as raw materials in cement production.

France: Fives’ Process Technologies division’s commercial activities, including those to the cement market, have improved in 2021 following recovery in market confidence following the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Its order intake increased by 43% year-on-year to Euro702m in 2021 from Euro490m in 2020. Its sales fell by 2% to Euro623m from Euro637m. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 63%. In the cement sector, Fives said that the North American market had been active. It reported ‘significant’ orders in Mexico, partly in response to the growing US market driven by the government’s infrastructure bill that was approved in late 2021. Fives also noted growth in Canada, where several companies are working towards carbon neutral production.

Overall, across all market divisions, Fives’ order intake, sales and earnings increased in 2021.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement’s consolidated sales declined by 18% in its 2022 financial year, which ended on 31 March 2022, to US$5.51bn from US$6.72bn. The group’s net profit was US$225m, down by 38% from US$364m.

Nikkei Financial Summary News has reported that Japanese cement consumption was 37.9Mt in the 2022 financial year, down by 2% year-on-year.

Germany: HeidelbergCement’s first-quarter sales were Euro4.43bn in the first quarter of 2022, up by 12% year-on-year from Euro3.96bn in the first quarter of 2021. Its cement and clinker sales volumes remained level year-on-year at 28.4Mt. Sales grew in all regions except North America, where they fell by 6% to Euro798m from Euro849m. Cement and clinker sales volumes fell there by 17%, but rose in every other region.

Chair Dominik von Achten said “The first quarter of 2022 was not an easy one for HeidelbergCement. Despite the continuing uncertainties regarding the supply of energy and raw materials and the associated rise in energy prices, we were able to increase our revenue significantly.” Looking to the rest of 2022, von Achten said
”Although there is still a lot of uncertainty concerning energy and raw material availability and costs, we continue to see strong demand for our products in all regions. In particular, demand for sustainable, low-carbon products is growing rapidly.”