Kazakhstan: Construction has begun on a US$222m cement plant in the Alginsky district of the Aktobe region, developed in partnership with West China Cement. The facility will have a production capacity of 2Mt/yr and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Around 1000 workers are reportedly engaged in site preparation, including laying utility lines and building a dormitory for personnel. Once operational, the plant will create approximately 500 permanent jobs, according to Kazakhstan Newsline.

Regional governor Askhat Shakharov, during a visit to the site, said that the project will play a key role in boosting the region’s industrial capacity and strengthening cooperation with China. “The implementation of this project will help reduce dependence on cement imports and supply the domestic market with building materials. The main thing is to conduct the construction according to the schedule and in compliance with all technological requirements,” he said.

France: Cement producer Eqiom has inaugurated a €2.5m pilot station for the continuous injection of alternative fuels at its Rochefort-sur-Nenon plant. The new facility enables the injection of wood fines - treated wood residues sourced from local sawmills - directly into the kiln at a rate of 5000t/yr.

The facility has reduced its coal use from 30,000t/yr to 8000t/yr. Currently, more than 70% of the plant’s kiln fuel comes from alternative sources, with the site now targeting 80%. Since the 1990s, the plant has successively used liquid chemical waste, animal meal and solid recovered fuels (SRF), which together accounted for 50,000t in 2024. Eqiom is also developing new cement types with lower clinker content by incorporating more pozzolans, as part of its broader decarbonisation efforts.

Pierre Bernard, Eqiom’s head of cement manufacturing, noted that national cement production fell from 20Mt/yr in 2022 to 15Mt/yr in 2024, equivalent to 1960 levels, due to a decline in construction activity.

India: JSW Cement, part of JSW Group, has commissioned a 1Mt/yr cement grinding unit at Sambalpur, Odisha, through its subsidiary Shiva Cement. The addition raises JSW’s total installed capacity to 21.6 Mt/yr. According to the company, the new facility will help meet rising cement demand in eastern India. The project was developed and financed by Shiva Cement under a commercial arrangement with Bhushan Power and Steel, and will produce cement exclusively for Shiva Cement’s use and consumption.

JSW Cement CEO Nilesh Narwekar said “The eastern region of the country is poised for exponential growth in the coming years. This new state-of-the-art facility in Sambalpur marks a significant milestone in our journey to expand and consolidate our position in this market,” he said.

JSW Cement currently operates seven manufacturing plants across India, including one integrated unit, one clinker plant and five grinding units.

Spain: Cemex has signed a collaboration agreement with Enagás, through its subsidiary Scale Green Energy, to develop logistics solutions for the maritime transport of captured CO₂ from cement production, aiming to accelerate industrial decarbonisation. The partnership will explore options for transporting captured CO₂ via pipeline. It includes developing a full CO₂ value chain, from capture at Cemex facilities to maritime shipment in liquefied form aboard a new vessel designed by Scale Green Energy, to eventual delivery to a licensed storage site in southern Europe. Scale Green Energy plans to design a next-generation vessel with a capacity of 20,000m³ for the transport of liquefied CO₂, enabling flexible and efficient transport to multiple Mediterranean storage hubs.

Jesús Saldaña, general manager of business development and investee companies at Enagás, said “This alliance to develop comprehensive logistics for the maritime transport of captured CO₂ represents an opportunity for Enagás and Cemex to jointly lead innovation to help decarbonise the industry, boosting its competitiveness, and for Spain to play a leading role in achieving the European Commission's goal of capturing 50Mt of CO₂ by 2030.”

Benjamín Cabrera, director of cement and technology operations at Cemex Spain, added “To advance the decarbonisation of the cement industry, it is essential to develop large-scale logistics solutions that allow us to manage large volumes of CO₂ safely, efficiently, and competitively. This agreement lays the foundations for a pioneering infrastructure that will connect Cemex plants in Spain with the main storage hubs in the Mediterranean.”