Global Cement News

China: Huaxin Cement has announced a predicted profit drop of 46% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020, to US$100m from US$188m in the corresponding three months of 2019. Huaxin Cement said, “During the reporting period, the company's performance declined significantly, mainly due to the impact of the coronavirus epidemic, which caused sales to fall by 36%.”

US: Green Business Certification (GBC) has recognised Titan America subsidiary Roanoke Cement’s successful implementation of its zero waste policy at the 1.5Mt/yr Troutville, Virginia plant with a Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Gold award. In 2019 the plant won the GBC’s TRUE Silver award. Roanoke Cement environmental engineer Lindsey Layman said, “In order to elevate our TRUE Zero Waste certification, we ramped up our zero waste policy to include, for example, physical audits of waste and improving recycling practices on-site. As a result, we have created a zero-waste culture and achieved an average of 98% overall diversion from landfill and incineration of solid non-hazardous wastes.”

UK: Aggregate Industries has announced a donation of materials to the NHS for use in construction of the Louisa Jordan temporary coronavirus hospital in the Scottish Exhibition Centre (SEC) Glasgow. The hospital will host up to 1000 patients when completed in April 2020.

Nigeria: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge Africa has donated three of its facilities - along with personal protective equipment (PPE) - for use to isolate and treat coronavirus patients. Lafarge Africa chief executive officer (CEO) Khaled El Dokani said, “Our intervention will relieve healthcare facilities in Lagos and in our host communities, to support those fighting COVID-19.”

In addition, Lafarge Africa stepped up its water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives in its host communities.

Poland: The Association of Cement Producers (SPC) has told the government that the cement industry generates 1.0% (Euro5.39bn) of annual gross domestic product (GDP) directly and 10% (Euro53.9bn) indirectly via construction and, as such, ought to be permitted to continue operations as a ‘necessary business’ under the terms of the country’s coronavirus lockdown. The SPC also said that the industry serves a crucial function in disposing of 11-12% (1.32 – 1.44Mt/yr) of Poland’s waste as fuel for cement production.

Poland has been on lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak since 11 March 2020.