September 2024
Jiangxi Provincial Building Material Group to invest in cement plant 02 September 2024
Cambodia: China-based Jiangxi Provincial Building Material Group plans to establish a cement plant in Cambodia. Company president Wensheng Chen led a delegation on 29 August 2024 to assess investment opportunities, meeting with officials from the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).
Chea Vuthy, secretary-general of the CDC’s Cambodia Investment Board (CIB), said "The CIB’s management and officials look forward to providing all possible arrangements for the company to invest in Cambodia."
Republic Cement's Ecoloop diverts record number of plastic sachets for use in cement production 02 September 2024
Philippines: Republic Cement's resource recovery group, Ecoloop, has diverted 21.4 billion plastic sachets in 2023, equating to 110,000t of discarded materials utilised as alternative fuel in cement co-processing. This marks a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions per ton of cement, according to The Philippine Star newspaper.
Ecoloop director Angela Edralin-Valencia said "This achievement represents a significant amount of materials diverted from landfills and bodies of water, such as oceans and urban waterways and further underscores Republic Cement’s commitment to environmental stewardship and circular economy principles."
CRH completes sale of European lime operations 02 September 2024
Europe: CRH has finalised the sale of its lime operations across Europe for US$1.1bn. The transaction concluded with the divestment of the group’s operations in Poland.
Ireland mandate for low-carbon cement comes into effect 02 September 2024
Ireland: New regulations effective from 1 September 2024 require all state-funded building projects in Ireland - including roads, schools, and hospitals - to use low-carbon cement. The directive prohibits the use of CEM I cement, mandating a minimum of 30% replacement of clinker with low-carbon alternatives for public projects.
Study finds use of reclaimed clay and brick dust reduces embodied carbon content of cement 02 September 2024
UK: A new study by the Mineral Products Association (MPA), supported by Innovate UK, has found that incorporating reclaimed clays and finely ground brick powder into cement production can reportedly lower the embodied CO₂ by up to 3%. The materials are used as calcined clay in the cement production process. The project aims to offer a viable alternative to fly ash and ground granulated blast-furnace slag, as resources diminish due to the steel industry's decarbonisation efforts.
MPA director Diana Casey said "Using discarded bricks and reclaimed clays will not only lower carbon and reduce the amount of materials sent to landfill but has the potential to create a whole new market if these clays become widely used in the construction industry, helping to retain economic value in the UK, secure jobs and attract investment."
Afghanistan: The governments of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have agreed to build a new 1Mt/yr cement plant in northern Afghanistan. Trend News has reported that representatives of the three countries met to discuss the upcoming plant, as well as other opportunities for regional cooperation, railways and the role of Afghanistan in the Economic Cooperation Organisation.
Kyrgyzstan: A partly state-owned consortium of companies including Terek Tash and Zenit has commissioned a new 1.5Mt/yr clinker plant in Kemin, Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast. Central Asia News has reported that the plant is intended to supply clinker for use in cement production at an upcoming grinding plant at Novo-Pokrovka in Chui. The projects have a combined value of US$150m.
Dragon Products’ Thomaston cement plant continues transition to distribution facility with further layoffs 30 August 2024
US: Dragon Products reportedly plans to lay off six employees at its Thomaston, Maine, cement plant later in 2024, in the plant’s on-going transition from cement production to distribution only. This will reduce the plant’s total employees to 20, down by 76% from 85 at the start of the year. Local press has reported that rising operating costs, including for energy and transport, led to the move.
The Thomaston plant continues to process ‘residual’ raw materials and has begun implementation of its new distribution strategy, taking delivery of 30,000t of bagged cement via the port of Searsport. A second delivery is scheduled for October 2024.
Cuba: A ‘materials spill’ at Cementos Cienfuegos’ Carlos Marx cement plant in Guabairo on 27 August 2024 resulted in the death of one worker and injuries to five others. General manager Ernesto Gálvez said that a filter in the plant’s Kiln 3 collapsed, leading to the spillage of hot material from a hopper. Granma News has reported that Raymundo Narciso Sarría, an employee of contractor Empresa de Construcciones Ingenieras No. 6, died, while one other worker is in a critical condition, two in a serious or very serious condition and two others in a less serious condition.
Colombia: Cemex Colombia has reported that 90% of the water used at its Santa Rosa grinding plant in 2024 to date came from non-fresh water sources, including rainwater harvesting and water recycling systems. Additionally, the plant operates with zero water discharges. UK-based Environmental Resources Management (ERM) supported the development of the current water management protocol for the plant.