Belgium: Holcim Belgium hopes to complete its Obourg cement plant’s Go4Zero oxyfuel kiln conversion and carbon capture installation project by 2025, in order to achieve carbon neutrality at the plant by 2030. The producer says that the plans involves establishing a new 135m-high cooling tower, instead of a 145m-high tower as previously planned.

In an effort to rally local support, Holcim Belgium will begin offering virtual reality (VR) tours of the upgraded plant plans in September 2022.

Chief executive officer Bart Daneels said “We would like to start this project, which will be a world premiere in the cement industry.”

Russia: Eurocement says that its subsidiary Peterburgcement’s Slantsy cement plant in Leningrad Oblast is undergoing an upgrade in order to co-process 100,000t/yr of alternative fuel (AF) in its cement production. The group claims that the upgrade will improve the efficiency of the 1.9Mt/yr plant and reduce its consumption of natural gas by 25%. The purported cost of the upgrade is US$1.77m.

Eurocement previously implemented the same technology at another of its cement plants in the Republic of Mordovia.

Canada/US: Lime company Lhoist North America raised the price of its lime products by up to 45% from 13 June 2022. The producer acknowledged the ‘challenging circumstance’ for all parties at an ‘unprecedented’ time. It said “We look forward to continuing to deliver the expected value to our customers.”

Turkey: Fernas Group has acquired Çimsa Çimento’s 1Mt/yr Kayseri and 1.2Mt/yr Niğde integrated cement plants and Ankara grinding plant, as well as ready-mix concrete assets in Aksaray, Ambar, Basakpinar, Cirgalan, Ereğli, Nevsehir and Kahramanmaras. Reuters News has reported the pre-tax value of the deal as US$110m.