India: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Indian government has established the Cement Industry Development Council (CIDC) to coordinate the cement sector’s efforts towards eliminating waste, maximising efficiency, increasing standards and lowering prices. The Economic Times newspaper has reported that the DPIIT has appointed Dalmia Bharat chief managing director Puneet Dalmia as head of the CIDC. An initial task for the council will be to recommend steps towards securing full cement capacity utilisation.

Bolivia: Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia’s (ECEBOL) integrated Oruro plant is operating at 80% capacity following its reopening in mid-June 2021. The unit is selling cement to La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba, according to the La Razón newspaper. Restarting the plant cost around US$8m.

India: The Telangana State Pollution Control Board has ordered Cement Corporation of India and Penna Cements to pay pollution fines for breaches of particulate matter restrictions at their respective cement plants at Tandur in Vikarabad district. The Times of India newspaper has reported that both companies exceeded legal limits eight times between November 2019 and July 2021. The board fined Cement Corporation of India US$3210 and Penna Cements US$4410.

Belize: Cementos Rocafuerte has commissioned its new Belmopan grinding plant at a 10ha site adjacent to the George Price Highway. The Belizean has reported that the grinding plant is the first in the country, which previously imported Cementos Progreso’s cement from Guatemala. The value of the Cementos Progreso subsidiary’s investment in the new facility was US$8m. In its first phase, the plant will employ 28 Belizeans.

Chief executive officer Jose Raul Gonzalez said that the plant, “meets all environmental and quality standards that this country deserves.” He added, “Life must go on, and the development of Belize shouldn’t be stopped by the virus or by the lack of proper building materials.”