Canada: Giatec has launched Roxi, an AI testing programme designed to reduce cement use in ready-mix concrete production. The programme combines with Giatec’s proprietary sensing technology. The supplier has received funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) for Roxi’s development and industrial roll-out.

CEO Pouria Ghods said “Based on two case studies, we estimate that up to 20% reduction in cement usage can be achieved using our technology. With this funding, Giatec will provide a solution that will bring not only economic, but also environmental benefits, by reducing CO2 emissions, air pollution, and water use in the construction industry.”

Spain: Cemex España has inaugurated its refurbished central laboratory at Buñol, Valencia. The Valencia Plaza newspaper has reported that the laboratory is equipped with new analytical equipment. It will introduce several new techniques for testing cement to the company’s existing procedures.

Quality Director Jesús De la Calle said "The company's strategy is currently focused on decarbonising all of its products and processes and developing specific low-carbon products for specific needs, and the central laboratory is key in the achievement of these objectives." The facility is one of the company’s three central laboratories. The others are situated in Monterrey, Mexico, and Tampa, US. The Buñol laboratory will be closely involved in the conversion of Cemex España’s Alicante cement plant to a ‘benchmark, pioneer’ low-CO2 cement plant.

India: Germany-based HeidelbergCement subsidiary HeidelbergCement India has secured 22GWh-worth of power from Lalganj Power. The energy company will source the electricity from its solar power plants. The deal is expected to reduce the company’s CO₂ emissions by 0.4Mt over the life of the contract.

Colombia: Grupo Argos subsidiary Cementos Argos recorded consolidated sales of US$1.30bn in the first half of 2021, up by 11% year-on-year from US$1.17bn in the first half of 2020. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 30% to US$267m from US$205m. Cement shipments were 8.60Mt, also up by 30%, from 6.62Mt. The company said its performance was ‘solid’ in every region in which it operates. The sharpest sales increase was in Colombia, where sales rose by 38% to US$314m from US$228m and cement shipments rose by 40%. It continued to execute its BEST efficiency programme and RESET plan for a sustainable restart post-Covid-19 pandemic. Additional challenges included 40 days of roadblocks in Colombia and political and a period of social instability in Haiti.

Cementos Argos’ CEO Juan Esteban Calle said “We are very satisfied with the figures achieved during the first half of the year in our three regions, and we are optimistic about the future for our customers, the progress of their housing and infrastructure projects, which are contributing significantly to employment recovery, as well as the levels of economic activity and the creation of social value in all the countries and markets where we are present, and with the noteworthy recovery of the company's financial flexibility in recent months, which is thanks to the commitment, creativity, passion and innovation of all our employees and to the success in the deployment of the BEST and RESET programmes.”

He added “Our strategy of creating social value is at the centre of the corporate strategy and in our higher purpose, and today, we are reassuring our commitment to contribute to the reactivation of the economy and to closing equality gaps. During the first half of 2021, we continued investing in the expansion of Cartagena Port, which generates additional employment and brings great social investment to the area. Additionally, we are making progress in initiatives such as Casa para Mi and Hogares Saludables that will allow us to contribute to the dreams of having decent housing for thousands of people in the country.”