Sweden: The Swedish Energy Agency has awarded US$12.5m to Boliden under its Industrial Leap initiative to support the development of a low-carbon cement alternative derived from iron-rich residual materials. The product allows for partial replacement of limestone in cement. Boliden is building an industrial demonstration plant to produce, test and verify the new material, which is based on byproducts from its own operations. Boliden estimates that the technology could cut value-chain emissions by around 600,000t/yr of CO₂ if fully implemented across its operations.

“Demonstrating innovative new technology to manufacture products with lower carbon emissions is fully in line with the purpose of the Industrial Leap. By reusing materials in new products instead of depositing them, the project also contributes to more circular use of materials,” said Klara Helstad, Deputy Head of the Department for Research, Innovation and Business Development at the Swedish Energy Agency.

Türkiye: Cement exporter Medcem has secured contracts for 5.5Mt of cement and clinker for 2026, up from 4.8Mt in 2025, according to Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. The deals include 4Mt of bulk cement and 1Mt of bagged cement for the US market. Medcem also signed clinker contracts totalling 1.5Mt, including 0.5Mt of low-chromium clinker for Europe and standard clinker for other markets such as West Africa.

“Compared to 2025, our prices and volumes are higher for 2026, unlike other exporting countries who’ve had to maintain their prices or give a discount,” said Medcem's Trading and Shipping Director Ender Sahin. He added that, to support growing demand, Medcem is expanding its grinding capacity by nearly 1Mt/yr by 2027, increasing its total capacity from 7.5Mt/yr to 9Mt/yr.

US: Amrize has announced the commissioning of a production expansion at its cement plant in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, increasing the plant’s capacity by 600,000t/yr to reach a total of 5.0Mt/yr. The expansion forms part of Amrize’s broader US$700m investment plan for 2025, aimed at strengthening operations and supporting domestic customers.

The company said that the project reinforces its commitment to ‘Made in America’ manufacturing, supporting local jobs and communities while ensuring high-quality cement supply for builders across the country.

Taiwan: Taiwan Cement has voiced support for government efforts to reduce the country’s growing reliance on imported cement, warning that the trend could undermine domestic producers and jobs.

The remarks come after locally-owned Universal Cement announced it would stop buying from Taiwan Cement and shift entirely to imported cement and clinker from elsewhere, including Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, to satisfy its demand of 1Mt/yr. Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming raised concerns over the rising imports, said that the imports raise concerns about carbon footprints and encouraged reducing reliance on imported cement. Taiwan Cement chair Chang An-ping said that the issue was not just environmental. “Taiwan risks becoming a dumping ground for surplus cement from foreign markets,” he said, which could affect domestic workers. He showed customs data that export prices to Taiwan are lower than domestic prices in exporting countries.

Chang criticised the lack of reciprocity in Taiwan’s zero-tariff policy on cement imports and said that the anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese cement introduced in July 2025 had failed to stop prices from falling. He also called for consistent carbon verification standards. While domestic producers follow a strict ‘gross emissions’ approach verified by third parties, Chang said many Southeast Asian exporters use ‘net emissions’ accounting, which subtracts emissions avoided through waste treatment. Minister Peng confirmed plans to align verification of imported cement with local rules.