Spain: HeidelbergCement subsidiary FYM has partnered with the University of Malaga (UMA) to create a chair on climate change at the institution. The position aims “to create and promote the study, research and development of new solutions to the climate emergency and its consequences for nature and daily life.” The company said that this consists in: “deepening the knowledge of the causes and consequences of climate change in Malaga Province, investigating the possibilities of its mitigation, especially through circular economic processes, encouraging research, development and innovation within the different lines of action in the fight against climate change, setting and substantiating industry targets and promoting understanding of the effects of climate change and the different forms of mitigation and adaptation.”

Pakistan: Cement producers dispatched a record 5.74Mt in October 2020. Exports rose by 12% to 875,000t from 784,000t. The Nation newspaper has reported that the figure brings Pakistan’s total dispatches for the first four months of the 2021 financial year, from 1 July 2020 to 31 October 2020, to 19.3Mt, up by 20% from 16.1Mt in the first four months of the 2020 financial year.

The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association said that cement consumption may increase further if the government rationalises duties and taxes and withdraws excise duty.

Germany: HeidelbergCement recorded net sales of Euro13.1bn over the first nine months of 2020, down by 8% year-on-year from Euro14.3bn over the corresponding period of 2019. Sales fell in most regions during the nine month period but rose in Africa-Eastern Mediterranean by 4% to Euro1.31bn from Euro1.26bn. Group cement volumes totalled 17.9Mt, down by 2% from 18.3Mt, while concrete volumes fell by 12% to 4.40Mt from 5.00Mt.

Speaking of the third quarter of 2020, chair Dominik von Achten said, “HeidelbergCement has achieved an excellent result. In an environment that continues to be characterised by major regional differences and great uncertainty, we were able to increase earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) by 17% in comparison to the third quarter of 2019.“ He added that the group expected earnings to grow in 2020 compared to 2019.

UK: Cemex UK has invested around Euro0.65m in its UK rail transport network between 1 January 2020 and 31 October 2020, upgrading the Crawley, Cambridge, Dove Holes, Salford, Selby and Sheffield railheads. The company spent Euro0.44m on the Dove Holes railhead upgrade, “extending the rail loading wall to increase the shovel loading and storage capacity and installing track working modifications to provide more flexibility to operations” at the site in Derbyshire. It said that the investments are “part of a rolling four-year development programme, with plans in place to spend similar amounts each year.” This will include further upgrades to the Sheffield and Selby railheads in 2021. The company said that the aim is “to increase safety standards and reliability while providing opportunities to grow and enhance service levels.”

David Hart, Cemex’s Supply Chain Director for UK & France, said, “As a result of the investment into our rail network this year we have been able to grow volumes and make our service more reliable, which in turn has halved our unplanned outage costs and incidents. These developments will also ensure our railheads lead the industry for safety standards and are more robust. Rail is an integral part of Cemex UK’s supply chain network and we are committed to increasing our service further, capitalising on the time, capacity and efficiency benefits this form of transport offers.”