October 2025

Sweden: Researchers at the department of architecture and civil engineering at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg in Västra Götaland county are developing a technology to enable concrete to store energy in the manner of a rechargeable battery. The team has proposed a design based on cement mixed with short carbon fibres. The concrete is then fitted with a metal-coated carbon fibre mesh that forms the battery’s anode and cathode. The team says that a future product based on the technology would enable solar-powered roads and buildings to store their own energy. Additionally, the introduction of sensors to the system would enable full and constant monitoring of the condition of the structure.

Chief researcher Emma Zhang said, “Results from earlier studies investigating concrete battery technology showed very low performance, so we realised we had to think out of the box, to come up with another way to produce the electrode. This particular idea that we have developed – which is also rechargeable – has never been explored before. Now we have proof of concept at lab scale.”

Nigeria: Dangote Cement says that work is underway to increase its total cement production capacity in Nigeria by 4.5Mt/yr before September 2021. The Guardian newspaper has reported that plans consist of new lines at the company’s cement plants in Obajana, Kogi state, and Okpella, Edo state, and the restart of production at its plant at Gboko, Benue state. Sales and marketing director Rabiu Umar said that the reason behind the decision was a surge in demand leading to a ‘sold-out’ situation in the country. He added that the firm has also ceased its export programmes in order to better serve the needs of domestic consumption.

Australia: James Hardie’s consolidated net sales increased by 12% year-on-year in the 2021 financial year to US$2.91bn from US$2.61bn in the 2020 financial year. Its adjusted earnings before interest, depreciation and taxation (EBIT) rose by 29% US$629m from US$487m. The producer recorded increased fibre cement sales in North America, by 12% to US$2.04bn from US$1.82bn, and in Asia Pacific, by 3% to US$496m from US$479m. The group’s Europe building products division’s sales rose by 5% to US$273m from US$261m.

Chief executive Jack Truong said, “I am proud of our globally integrated team’s ability to close out the fiscal year with a fourth quarter of exceptionally strong results. We have now delivered eight consecutive quarters of consistent profitable growth, including record financial results each of the past three quarters. Our performance in fiscal year 2021 marked a significant step change across multiple facets of our global company that allowed us to deliver this consistent profitable growth on an expanding global scale. Over the past 12 months, we were able to accelerate our strategy: firstly to unlock capacity and increase efficiency in our global manufacturing network through LEAN initiatives, and secondly to better integrate our supply chain with our customers, which collectively drove consistent market share gains in all three regions.”

Philippines: The Philippine cement industry has met some of its investment commitments set out in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s adjustment plans for its imposition of safeguard measures against imported cement. The Manila Bulletin newspaper has reported that producers have invested around US$250m in making their product more competitive for local buyers although the industry has deferred US$1.54bn-worth of further agreed-upon spending to before 2025. The Tariff Commission (TC) said that companies’ reasons for delaying the completion of their adjustment commitments were Covid-19-led disruptions to production, transport and services. The DTI set out the commitments in the form of 20 plans, of which the industry has now fully implemented 12. The TC said that the sector is ‘determined’ to meet the remaining goals. It added that the damaging impacts of the coronavirus outbreak were lessened by the previous implementation of tariffs, which rose to US$0.20/bag in December 2020. The commission said "To date, it can be concluded that the intervention was timely and proper, as it has provided breathing space for the domestic industry and has mainly contributed to increasing the industry's market competitiveness."

India: A high court has ruled that all cement producers have the right to use common words on their cement bags, even where those words are trademarked by another producer. The Times of India newspaper has reported that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has until mid-July 2021 to respond to the ruling. JK Cement previously launched the legal action against the BIS’s blanket ban on trademarked words including ‘super,’ ‘strong,’ 'damp-proof,' 'corrosion-proof' and 'weather shield.'

Switzerland: France-based Vicat subsidiary Vigier Holding has agreed to sell precast concrete producer Creabeton Matériaux to Müller Steinag Holding. The group says that it will finalise the deal within the first half of 2021.

Creabeton Matériaux specialises in the prefabrication of concrete products. It has a workforce of nearly 380 employees and reported a turnover of Euro83m in 2020. Vigier Holding will retains its railway business including the construction of concrete sleepers.

India: Ramco Cements has commissioned a 48 cylinder/day oxygen plant at its Ramasamy Raja Nagar cement plant in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu. It is donating the oxygen to local hospitals treating Covid-19 patients. The cost of the plant was US$68,500. Each 45l cylinder has a useful life of 10 – 12 hours. The company says that the new plant will save around 24 lives a day.

India: Penna Cement has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) worth US$212m. It plans to offer US$34m-worth of shares for sale and to issue equity shares worth US$177m. United News of India has reported that part of the money raised will fund capital expenditure (capex) investments worth US$58m. The company’s plans consist of a second line at its Krishnapatnam grinding plant in Andhra Pradesh, an upgrade of raw materials and clinker grinding at its integrated Talaricheruvu plant in Andhra Pradesh, and new waste heat recovery (WHR) units at its Talaricherevu plant and its integrated Tandur plant in Telangana. It additionally plans to repay previous loans.

Kenya: Domestic cement consumption was 607,000t in February 2021, down for a third consecutive month and below mid-coronavirus lockdown levels of 723,000t in October 2020. Labour shortages and a national economic slowdown have slowed housing and infrastructure growth since 2020, while commercial construction has declined as companies opt not to invest in office space. The Business Daily newspaper as reported that uncertainty about the economic situation continues in May 2021.

UK: The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has described first-quarter building materials demand as ‘resilient’ in 2021 despite renewed coronavirus lockdown restrictions, on-going supply chain disruptions and wet winter weather. Following a recent survey the association says that continued housing activity – with increased home improvements – and an acceleration in infrastructure work, driven by a new roads programme and the start of the HS2 high-speed railway, drove minor growth during the quarter. Ready-mix concrete demand rose by 2% year-on-year, while mortar demand fell by 7% during the period. The MPA said that both products are mostly used in the early stages of construction, thus serving as a barometer for construction activity ahead in the short term.

The MPA reports that since September 2020, construction growth has remained close to zero, whilst new contract awards have been ’weak’ since May 2020. The downward trend of housing-led mortar demand in the first quarter of 2021 continues a pre-pandemic decline since mid-2018. Thus, housing activity growth is considered unlikely to continue beyond the completion of existing projects ahead of the end of a land tax holiday and a deadline in a first time buyers loan scheme. The MPA described the slow growth of ready-mixed concrete demand as ‘concerning.’ Low housing activity and few new commercial projects compounded the difficult recovery: non-infrastructure projects normally generate 60% of demand. Ready-mix concrete producers rely on London and the South East region for over 30% of sales. First-quarter volumes were 9% below the previous five-year average, despite three consecutive quarters of growth since the first coronavirus lockdown in the first half of 2020.

Director of Economics Affairs Aurelie Delannoy said, “Mineral products manufacturers are busy supplying post- lockdown pent-up demand, particularly for domestic activity such as landscaping, repair and maintenance and home improvements, as well as infrastructure projects.” She added “The outlook for this year and next is also positive, but the stakes are high. Any optimism assumes activity is not disrupted by renewed outbreaks of Covid-19 and, most importantly, relies on the government delivering on its planned infrastructure commitments. MPA members tell us they are yet to see a more clear-cut pick-up in new house building, whilst any recovery in commercial development is expected to remain muted given the current reticence for major new investments.”