Displaying items by tag: Asia

Vietnam: Xuan Son Group held the launch ceremony for Xuan Son Cement at the Xuan Son cement plant in Hoa Binh province on 21 February 2025. The plant spans 40 hectares, with a US$196m investment and a production capacity of 3.5Mt/yr. The plant integrates Polysius grinding technology, Flender transmission systems, Haver & Boecker automated packaging technology and electrical equipment and motors from Pfeiffer, Vacuum and ABB. Heat consumption is below 680kCal/kg of clinker, and electricity consumption is under 71kW/t of cement, according to the company. The plant uses refuse-derived fuel in the kiln, as well as waste heat recovery to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. It aims for zero NO_x and CO₂ emissions.

India: The Tamil Nadu government will impose a mineral-bearing land tax of US$1.82/t on limestone under the Tamil Nadu Mineral Bearing Land Tax Act 2024. This tax, payable in advance on mineral dispatch, is in addition to existing royalty charges. The announcement follows Karnataka’s recent decision to levy US$0.29/t on limestone mined.

The tax will raise production costs for cement producers in the region, particularly affecting Ramco Cements, which has 52% of its clinker capacity in Tamil Nadu, and Dalmia Bharat, which has 23%. Other Indian cement producers are less affected, with UltraTech Cement only holding 4% capacity in the area, and ACC 2%. This could mean that the cost increase is passed on to consumers, raising the price of cement.

India: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the demerger and transfer of Vinay Cement’s cement and mining operations to Dalmia Cement (North East), both subsidiaries of Dalmia Bharat. The order comes into effect on 31 March 2025. Dalmia Bharat will not issue shares under the arrangement. Both subsidiaries will continue operating under the company following the approval.

India: JK Lakshmi Cement (JKLC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Assam government at the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit.

JKLC will invest US$1.2bn over the next seven to eight years to build a greenfield cement plant.

India: Ambuja Cements will invest US$286m in two cement carriers and eight clinker carriers. The company expects to finalise a shipbuilding contract within 15 days, with Cochin Shipyard and Swan Defence and Heavy Industries under consideration.

Each 38,500t Handymax cement carrier will cost US$45.8m, while each 9200t clinker carrier will cost US$22.9m. The clinker carriers will have a 30m beam, 4m draft and 150m length, increasing cargo capacity from the traditional 3000t to 9200t per trip.

India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat) will procure 10MW of solar power from Kilavikulam Rajalakshmi’s captive plant in Tamil Nadu. The producer will also acquire a 35% equity share in the solar power developer.

Kilavikulam Rajalakshmi is a special purpose vehicle for the 10MW solar project. Dalmia Cement said the acquisition will increase its renewable power supply as part of its commitment to RE100 by 2030 and becoming carbon negative by 2040.

North Korea: The Sangwon Cement Complex has appealed to smaller cement plants to boost production for major government projects, despite a lack of raw materials and electricity, according to Radio Free Asia.

The ‘vaguely written’ appeal, issued in early February 2025, states the urgent need for cement to complete government housing projects and rural development initiatives, but does not specify how production should increase. One of the projects listed is the Pyongyang housing project, which aims to build 10,000 new homes per year, and a total of 50,000 by the end of 2025.

A resident said “The Sangwon Cement Complex is affiliated with the central committee. Its electricity and raw materials are fully provided by the central party. How can the appeal demand increased cement production from local cement companies when there is no electricity or limestone?”

Another resident noted that most construction is being carried out by military labour units but cement shortages are forcing builders to cut corners, with most rural houses reportedly built from soil mixed with clay, lime, and decomposed granite. Though the appeal came from the Sangwon Cement Complex, residents see it as an implicit order from Kim Jong-un’s government. In the past, citizens were forced to gather sand and gravel for public projects, and some fear this order could have the same effect.

Philippines: Taiheiyo Cement Philippines has informed the government of its plans to improve its distribution system in Luzon, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

The company has doubled the capacity of its US$224m Cebu facility from 50,000 bags/day to 100,000 bags/day. Additionally, it is constructing a distribution terminal in Calaca, Batangas, to better serve Luzon, which accounts for 64% of national cement demand.

"Once operational, this new facility will streamline logistics, optimise supply chain efficiency and ensure timely delivery of cement to this critical region," the DTI said.

Uzbekistan: The country's cement companies produced 0.85Mt of cement in January 2025, according to the national Statistics Agency. Cement production increased by 35% year-on-year. In 2023, Uzbekistan produced 0.26Mt and in 2024 it produced 0.63Mt.

Vietnam: Cement production reached 22.7Mt in the first two months of 2025, up by 7% year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). In February 2025, the country produced 11.3Mt of cement, marking a 24% increase compared to the same month in 2024.

In 2024, Vietnam produced 184Mt of cement, reflecting a 4% rise year-on-year based on revised figures.