UK: Cemex UK has launched ReadyBlock Zero, a zero carbon concrete block, on the UK market. The product joins the company’s Vertua reduced-CO₂ product range. Cemex UK achieved zero carbon production by means of offsetting. It said that ReadyBlock Zero will help builders to meet the UK’s government’s Future Homes Standard, which requires a 75 – 80% CO₂ emissions reduction in all newly built homes.

Cemex’s Europe regional urbanisation solutions director of asphalt, paving and building products Carl Platt said “We have developed the UK’s first carbon neutral concrete block to help housebuilders get ahead of the game when it comes to building low carbon homes that meet and exceed government guidelines and changes to building regulations. We want to make life easier for housebuilders to make simple sustainable choices that make large scale impacts on the often complex road to net zero. Concrete blocks are the most common structural component in the construction of UK homes, so by switching to zero carbon blocks, ReadyBlock Zero presents a huge opportunity for housebuilders to make significant carbon reductions.”

Pakistan: Lucky Cement increased its standalone first-half sales in the 2022 financial year by 20% year-on-year to US$2.87bn from US$2.39bn in the first half of the 2021 financial year. This was despite a 5.9% year-on-year decline in cement volumes to 4.7Mt. Domestic cement sales increased by 0.8% to 3.66Mt from 3.63Mt, while exports fell by 20% to 1.07Mt from 1.34Mt.

The Business Recorder newspaper has reported that the company increased its consolidated net profit by 27% year-on-year. Its consolidated profit after tax was US$972m in the first half of the 2022 financial year.

Germany: The PowTech powder and bulk solids processing and analytics trade fair in Nuremberg, Bavaria, will now take place on 27 – 29 September 2022, in conjunction with the FachPack packaging trade fair. The organiser decided to postpone the event once again due to continued pandemic-related disruption.

India: Udaipur Cement Works plans to raise US$114m through an issuance of non-convertible debentures (NCDs). India Infoline News Service has reported that the company will use the money it raises to fund Phase 1 of its on-going expansion project.