Displaying items by tag: Asia

Pakistan: The Punjab government has approved the construction of a new Gharibwal Cement plant in Chakwal. The Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman described the approval of a new cement plant in Chakwal as a milestone for industrial growth that would support the construction sector and stabilise the local economy.

India: The groundbreaking of UltraTech Cement’s US$42.2m expansion project at its Cuttack plant took place on 15 September 2025 at the project site in Khamar Nuagaon and Kolathpangi village, Athagarh tehsil. The expansion will double the unit’s capacity from 3Mt/yr to 6Mt/yr. Ardhendu Mohapatra, head of Aditya Birla group in Odisha, and Abhinash Rath, plant head of Ultratech Cement Cuttack, were present at the event.

Pakistan: Cement exports almost doubled in the first two months of the 2026 financial year compared with the same period in the 2025 financial year, according to provisional trade data from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

Exports of cement were valued at US$73m in July - August 2025, up by 98% year-on-year from US$37m in July - August 2024. In August 2025 alone, cement exports reached US$38m, compared with US$22m in 2024, reflecting an increase of about 70% year-on-year.

India: The Meghalaya government has confirmed that it has no plans to revive the defunct state-owned Mawmluh Cherra Cements (MCCL) plant and is instead exploring options to transform the site into a tourist attraction. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar told the Assembly that after years of failed attempts, the state had concluded that MCCL’s revival was no longer feasible. MCCL, originally established as Assam Cement in the 1950s, ceased production in 2020 after mounting losses left it unable to compete with private manufacturers, according to local press. A final attempt in 2022 to secure a joint venture partner also collapsed after three interested firms either withdrew, were disqualified, or declined to proceed. The government has since rolled out a US$11m compensation plan for employees, contractors, suppliers and former workers. The third and final US$3m tranche is reportedly due by 2026 - 2027.

The government is focusing on repurposing the site with revival plans now ruled out. The Sohra area, already a popular tourist destination, is being considered for new projects. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma previously confirmed that he had been in talks with the Hima of Sohra, a local community group, in August 2023 and that it had ‘expressed enthusiasm’ about working with the government to develop tourism opportunities that would benefit the local economy.

Philippines: Japan-based Sumitomo Osaka Cement has bought a 15% stake in Philcement, according to a stock exchange disclosure. The agreement, signed on 16 September 2025 between Philcement, its parent company Phinma Corporation, and Sumitomo Osaka, covers the issuance of primary shares. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2025, subject to standard conditions.

Once the deal is complete, Phinma will remain as Philcement’s majority shareholder, with a 60% stake. Philcement has expanded significantly in the past few years, with a 2Mt/yr integrated plant in Davao del Norte due to be commissioned in 2026.

China: Cement production fell to 148Mt in August 2025, down by 6.2% year-on-year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. From January to August 2025, production reached 1.105Bnt, representing a 5% decrease year-on-year compared to the same period in 2024.

In July 2025, production reached its lowest level since 2009, at 146Mt.  The drop was attributed to the ongoing real estate crisis, weak infrastructure activity and weather disruptions from heatwaves and storms. Producers are shrinking capacity to better align with demand.

India: Birla Corporation plans to raise its cement production capacity from 20Mt/yr to 27.6Mt/yr by 2028 – 2029 by building grinding units and clinker lines, according to The Pioneer newspaper. Chair Harsh Lodha told shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting that the expansion will require a capital expenditure of US$492m.

India: Prism Johnson says that its partner RLJ Cement has completed part of a planned capacity enhancement at the Mirzapur plant in Uttar Pradesh. RLJ Cement has increased its cement production capacity by 0.20Mt/yr to a total of 0.50Mt/yr. Prism Johnson said that the agreement with RLJ is via a non-exclusive supply arrangement, where cement manufactured to Prism Cement’s specifications will be supplied for onward sale.

Following the expansion, Prism Johnson’s outsourced grinding capacity - through supply agreements with multiple units - has increased from 1.17Mt/yr to 1.37Mt/yr. The company said that the Mirzapur plant is now fully operational after the capacity upgrade and forms part of its broader strategy to expand supply tie-ups and scale production to meet rising demand.

South Korea: The Ministry of Environment has announced a pilot project to recycle waste fabric scraps from sewing factories into alternative fuel for the cement industry. The agreement has been signed with: textile companies Pang Rim, Sewang, Sinhan Spinning & Textile; cement companies Ssangyong C&E and Asia Cement; and the Korea Recycling Service Agency (KORA). It expands on an earlier initiative launched in 2024 with four Seoul districts.

Under the project, fabric scraps that were previously incinerated or landfilled will be separated, sorted and processed into intermediate fuel, which cement plants will use in the production process. The Ministry said that KORA will support raw material supply and recycling logistics, while cement firms will adopt the fabric-derived fuel to reduce waste and fossil fuel use.

Kim Go-eung, Director General of the Resources Circulation Bureau, said “The separation, sorting and recycling of waste are essential elements for producing high-quality recycled raw materials. To establish a circular system, we will continue to identify and expand various measures so that the supply of excellent recycled raw materials and the securing of demand sources can be balanced.”

India: Tiruchi Corporation has intensified efforts to manage non-recyclable plastics by diverting them to cement plants for use as alternative fuel. The city generates 400 - 450t/day of waste, of which about 75% is segregated at source. Non-recyclable plastics are collected through door-to-door systems and sent to Dalmia Cements’ and UltraTech Cement’s plants, where they are used as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in the kilns. Since July 2024, 2384t of plastics have been diverted to cement plants.

An upcoming automated material recovery facility at Ariyamangalam, with a capacity of 250t/day, is expected to further improve segregation, ensuring recyclable, non-recyclable, inert and RDF streams are directed to cement plants for reuse.