Turkey: 120,000 members of the Construction Contractors Confederation (IMKON) downed tools on 9 September 2021 in protest against high cement prices. Emerging Market Watch News has reported that the strike will last until 21 September 2021 or until ‘satisfactory developments.’

The Ministry of Trade has tightened procedural restrictions on exporting clinker. Trade Minister Mehmet Mus is in talks with construction and cement industry representatives.

UK: Cemex UK has carried out track improvements and extensions at its Attercliffe, Small Heath and Bletchley rail depots. The works included a new siding and storage bays for offloading at Small Heath. Meanwhile, improvements at the Attercliffe depot will enable delivery vehicles to safely use the same area in the day as trains do at night.

Rail and sea manager Mark Grimshaw-Smith said “The summer months have provided us with the perfect opportunity to complete a considerable programme of investment into track at three of our rail depots. These sites are all very different, and spread out across the country, but they are all important parts of our rail network and ripe for development.” He added, “As our use of trains to transport our materials increases, it is vital that we have the infrastructure in place to support this. Further investment is planned at some of our other UK railheads over the coming months.”

The company is in the process of a transition to rail and sea transport from road. Progress in 2020 eliminated 17,500t of CO2 emissions from 150,000 road movements not taken.

Libya: Ahmed Abuhisa, the Minister of Industry and Minerals, has laid the foundation stone for a new cement plant at Al-Shahba. Al-Shahba Cement and National Mining Corporation have signed a deal to build the 1Mt/yr plant in Cyrenaica region, according to the Libya Herald newspaper. The project is part of the ministry’s plan to localise industry in the country, provide job opportunities for young people and drive development. Al-Shahba, which is 100km from the city of Tobruk, is without paved roads and suffers from water scarcity, limited electricity access and the loss of public services.

Tanzania: The South Africa-based National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA) has awarded Tanga Cement its international award for safety. The Daily News newspaper has reported that NOSA considers participant companies from all industries across Africa. Tanga Cement has participated in NOSA since 2018. Managing director Reinhardt Stuart said that the achievement was especially significant as the producer retained its rating as a ‘distinguished’ class company among NOSA awarded companies.