26 May 2023

India: Anjani Portland Cement recorded sales of US$80m in the 2023 financial year. This corresponds to a 17% year-on-year drop from US$97m in the previous financial year. India InfoLine News has reported that the producer's total expenditure also dropped, by 2.6% to US$77.4m from US$79.5m. It reported a net loss after minority interests of US$7.03m, compared to a net profit of US$5.01m in the 2022 financial year.

Peru: Invercem has successfully commissioned its new 220,000t/yr Pisco grinding plant in Ica Department. Management News has reported that the plant cost US$30m to build. Cemex Peru will supply clinker for use in cement production at the plant. Invercem plans to supply cement produced at the plant to the Cusco market under the Patrón brand. The company says that the facility has the potential to further expand up to a capacity of 330,000t/yr. In the longer term, Invercem aims to establish an integrated cement plant and limestone mine.

Dominican Republic: Germany-based Gebr. Pfeiffer has received an order for an MVR 3750 C-4 vertical roller mill from Estrella Group subsidiary Cemento PANAM. Cemento PANAM plans to install the mill at an upcoming grinding plant. It will be equipped with an SLS 4000 VC classifier and will produce 155t/hr of blended cement. China-based CBMI Construction will handle the order.

CBMI Construction previously won a contract to build a Cemento PANAM grinding plant in the Dominican Republic in March 2023. Global Cement News reported the capacity of the plant as 1.23Mt/yr.

US: Heidelberg Materials North America has inaugurated the Port Canaveral slag cement plant and terminal in Florida, following an expansion. MENAFN News has reported that the producer invested US$24m in the installation of a new roller press at the facility.

Heidelberg Materials North America said "Heidelberg Materials' investment in the Port Canaveral slag cement facility is reflective of our commitment to supporting sustainable and resilient construction projects in the state of Florida and throughout the country. It is also aligned with our goal to significantly reduce our carbon footprint by 2030 and another milestone in our overall strategy to grow our portfolio of more sustainable products, technologies and customer-focused solutions on the path to Net Zero."

Mauritania: The National Confederation of Mauritanian Workers has called a seven-day strike of Ciments de l’Afrique (CIMAF) employees from 31 May to 6 June 2023. IHS Global Insight Daily News has reported that the union called the strike over working conditions at the company and to demand that it elect workers’ representatives. The strike will likely result in cement supply disruptions and backlogs at export terminals.

Switzerland: Holcim has announced its participation in the Science Based Targets Network's Science Based Targets for Nature pilot. Under the initaitive, Holcim will submit targets for the conservation of land and freshwater ecosystems for validation later in 2023.

Holcim's chief sustainability and innovation officer Magali Anderson said "Setting science-based targets for nature is key to making a real and measurable impact to preserve and restore biodiversity and freshwater ecosystems. As part of this initiative, we aim to bring our climate and nature action closer together."

Italy: Italcementi, part of Heidelberg Materials, has filed a patent application for a titanium dioxide-based cementitious material. The Patent Office Journal has reported that the material consists of titanium dioxide (TiO2) imbued with carbon dopants. This is produced by irradiating the TiO₂ in the presence of an inert gas and an organic compound.

Indonesia: Norway-based Norges Bank has placed Semen Tonasa under observation for risk of damage to art in Leang Leang Maros Prehistoric Park in South Sulawesi. Reuters has reported that the cement producer has no monitoring system in place for its limestone mining operations near to the designated UNESCO Global Geopark. Vibrations and dust reportedly present a danger to the 44,000yr-old works of art at the site. Norges Bank holds a 1.6% stake in Semen Tonasa's parent company Semen Indonesia.

Norges Bank said "The background for the decision is the unacceptable risk of damage to prehistoric and irreplaceable culture heritage."