Displaying items by tag: Americas

US: Fortera says that its ReAct low-carbon cement product is the first to meet all six ASTM C1157 performance categories simultaneously. Previously, it says, this level of versatility typically required four separate Portland cement formulations. It added that, with one formulation covering all six categories, ReAct reduces procurement complexity and streamlines mix design, enabling contractors to use a single cement instead of multiple cementitious products for different parts of the same project. Independent testing by Construction Testing Services validated the product’s performance across the standard's eight test requirements.

Craig Hargis, Vice President of Products at Fortera, said “This certification confirms that ReAct performs to the industry's established standards.” He added, “For years, lower-carbon options have been seen as a compromise on either performance or cost. ReAct shows that contractors do not have to choose. It meets the strength and durability requirements they expect, avoids a green premium, and fits into the specifications and infrastructure already in use.”

ASTM C1157 is a performance-based standard that evaluates cement on measurable outcomes rather than on its chemical composition. The specification covers factors such as compressive strength, air content, set time, fineness, density, heat of hydration, mortar expansion, and sulphate expansion. ReAct has met the requirements for all six performance categories under the standard: general use, high early strength, moderate sulphate resistance, high sulphate resistance, moderate heat of hydration, and low heat of hydration.

Fortera operates a 15,000t/yr plant in Redding, California. The company uses a technology that captures CO₂ emissions from traditional cement production and converts them into a mineral form for low-carbon cement.

US: Ash Grove Cement and the Nebraska Department of Transportation have tested a  calcined clay blended cement product on a 4km stretch of road in the state. The product, Duracem N, was manufactured at the company’s Louisville Plant. It uses clay sourced locally in the region. The Louisville Plant was reportedly upgraded recently to convert a clinker kiln into a clay calciner. Improvements were also made to the milling process.

Full-scale production of Duracem N will begin early in 2026, with customer deliveries expected in mid-2026. The product has been approved for use by the Nebraska Department of Transportation, with further approvals forthcoming.

Puerto Rico: Cement production and sales continued to rise in November 2025, driven by sustained construction activity and job growth, according to the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC). Puerto Rico produced 731,000 42.5kg bags of cement during November 2025, marking a 45% year-on-year increase or 228,000 more bags than in November 2024. Total sales of bagged and bulk cement reached nearly 1.2 million units, an 11% increase compared to the same month in 2024.

“These results reflect continued growth in construction activity in Puerto Rico,” said the DDEC, attributing the momentum to both public and private projects. Governor Jenniffer González said the figures showed a broader economic recovery. “The increase in cement production and sales, along with job growth in the construction sector, are clear signs that Puerto Rico continues to move forward with a strong and active economy. Our administration will continue to promote strategic projects that foster investment, infrastructure and quality jobs for our people.”

Brazil: Cimento Nacional, part of Buzzi, has selected Fuller Technologies to supply a second ball mill and separator system for its Pitimibu plant, replicating the equipment successfully installed in 2013. The original setup was a UMS 5.0 x 17 ball mill combined with an O-SEPA® N4500 separator, which has operated reliably for over a decade, according to the company. The company has now ordered an updated version of the system. The new package includes a next-generation O-SEPA® separator with a fine drive for increased rotation speed and high-Blaine cement output, and a high-efficiency air seal designed to reduce coarse bypass and improve final cement quality.

US: A new finish mill has officially been commissioned at the Durkee cement plant. The facility held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the occasion. The upgrade will increase the plant’s cement production capacity by 210,000t/yr without increasing clinker production or associated CO₂ emissions. The company said the new finish mill enhances its ability to deliver consistent, high-performance cement.

US: Furno Materials has signed an agreement with ready-mix concrete producer Maschmeyer Concrete for the use of its compact modular cement kiln technology. Maschmeyer Concrete plans to operate the kilns using its 90,000t/yr of ‘waste’ concrete as a feedstock. The company will build an initial 50,000t/yr-capacity mini cement plant in Florida. The partners are currently conducting site analysis and a feasibility study for the project.

This latest deal brings Furno Materials’ total commitments to 295,000t/yr across announced and unannounced projects. The sale remains contingent on the successful deployment of its first commercial-scale reactor with concrete producer Ozinga in Chicago, Illinois.

US: Amrize has announced the commissioning of a production expansion at its cement plant in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, increasing the plant’s capacity by 600,000t/yr to reach a total of 5.0Mt/yr. The expansion forms part of Amrize’s broader US$700m investment plan for 2025, aimed at strengthening operations and supporting domestic customers.

The company said that the project reinforces its commitment to ‘Made in America’ manufacturing, supporting local jobs and communities while ensuring high-quality cement supply for builders across the country.

Peru: Holcim has announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Cementos Pacasmayo, expanding its footprint in the country and strengthening its position across Latin America. Holcim will acquire 50.01% of the company for US$550m, according to Reuters. Cementos Pacasmayo operates three cement plants with a total capacity of approximately 5Mt/yr, along with 28 ready-mix and precast concrete plants. The deal values the company at US$1.5bn.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions. The acquisition follows Holcim’s initial entry into the Peruvian market in 2024.

Bolivia: Cement production and sales in October 2025 increased month-on-month by 6% and 10%, respectively, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). Production rose from 355,167t in September 2025 to 378,669t in October 2025, while sales climbed from 336,917t to 373,885t, an increase of 11%. Compared to October 2024, cement production rose by 4% to 378,335t, up from 363,784t. Sales also increased slightly year-on-year by 0.3%, or 1175t.

From January to October 2025, cement production was 3.38Mt, a 0.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024. However, total sales during the 10-month period fell slightly to 3.28Mt, down from 3.33Mt in the previous year. La Paz continues to lead in cement production with 1.03Mt, while Santa Cruz leads in sales with 883,430t as of October. INE data shows that Bolivia reached an all-time cement production record of 4.06Mt and sales of 4.10Mt in 2024.

US: Sublime Cement has announced a 10% workforce reduction and a pause in the development of its planned demonstration plant in Holyoke, Massachusetts, after the company failed to reverse a decision to cancel a US$86m federal grant, which would have funded 50% of the project. The company had been awarded the grant by the Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), but the Trump administration cancelled all grants in May 2025. Sublime said that the loss of the grant disrupted the company’s financing plans and forced it to explore alternative scale-up options.

The company said in a statement “We are actively working through a robust set of alternative scale-up plans and have several exciting options to bring our first commercial plant online.”

Earlier in 2025, Microsoft committed to purchasing 623,000t of Sublime’s low-carbon cement to reduce the embodied emissions of its construction projects. The Holyoke plant was to supply the product, with a planned output of over 30,000t/yr. Sublime said that it remains in discussions with the Department of Energy.