Displaying items by tag: Asia

India: Shree Cement has commissioned a 6MW solar power plant at its Roorkee unit in Uttarakhand, located next to its existing cement operations. This raises total solar capacity at the site to 7MW. The project cost US$1.8m, and brings the company’s total solar footprint to 294MW. It is expected to offset 6500t/yr of CO₂ emissions.

Indonesia: The government has called on cement producers to expand exports and develop sustainable products to counter oversupply, according to Antara news. This comes after a visit by the Director General at the Ministry of Industry, Taufiek Bawazier, to the Solusi Bangun Indonesia cement plant in Bogo, West Java. Bawazier said that national cement production capacity currently stands at 122Mt/yr, while demand is only around 70Mt/yr, resulting in low utilisation and inefficiency.

Bawazier said “This is a serious challenge for the industry. If left unresolved, it could lead to unhealthy business competition. Strengthening the domestic component level policy is also a priority. Currently, local cement products have achieved a 60–70% domestic content level.”

He added that production capacity could be controlled by imposing a moratorium on new cement industry permits in regions where the market is already saturated. Several cement producers, such as Semen Indonesia, already export to Australia and even the US.

South Korea/Algeria: The Korea Cement Association and the Algerian Cement Industry Group (GICA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation following a delegation visit to the country, led by vice president Lee Chang-ki and Hanil Cement Dan-yang plant head Jeon Jae-cheol. Chosun Biz news reported that Algeria ‘requested for help’ from Korea, and that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy promoted the resumption of the Korea-Algeria economic Joint Committee meetings, which had been suspended since 2007.

Lee Chang-ki announced the ‘2050 Carbon Neutral Strategy for the Korean Cement Industry’, and the parties had the opportunity to visit Algerian cement plants and discuss future cooperation. The two parties agreed to form an operating committee to oversee implementation over the next two years.

Pakistan: Dewan Cement has commissioned a 6MW solar power system at its Dhabeji plant in Karachi, the company disclosed to the Pakistan Stock Exchange. The system now reportedly provides over 50% of the plant’s operational energy requirements. The company said that the investment in renewable energy would improve energy security and deliver cost savings amid rising fuel prices.

Türkiye: The Malatya Metropolitan Municipality and the Malatya Chamber of Commerce and Industry plan to build a cement plant in the region through a joint venture, according to the Malatya Time newspaper. The proposed site is reportedly located near raw material resources. The City Council is reviewing a request to authorise MESTON, a municipal subsidiary, to begin feasibility studies, environmental assessments and legal preparations. The joint venture will initially be capitalised equally by both parties.

India: Ambuja Cements subsidiary ACC has commissioned a 1.5Mt/yr brownfield grinding unit at its Sindri plant in Jharkhand. The project takes the total installed cement production capacity across Ambuja and ACC to 104.45Mt/yr.

Australia: Green360 Technologies has launched a 457t bulk calcining run of high-purity kaolin from its Pittong operation in Victoria to produce high-reactivity metakaolin as a substitute for Portland cement.

The calcined product, made from raw ore and reclaimed tailings, will be despatched for testing by industry and government partners. Assessments will focus on compressive strength, durability and resistance to environmental stressors.

Executive chair Aaron Banks said “We have rapidly moved from laboratory-scale testing to now producing commercial quantities of our innovative, high-quality metakaolin product.”

He added “Our low-carbon cement formulations and high-quality, advanced metakaolin can help potential customers, from government to private industry, reduce their usage of Portland cement without compromising on performance or cost.”

Sri Lanka: Domestic cement demand rose to 4.71Mt since July 2024, up from 3.96Mt, according to Tokyo Cement. The company attributed the increase to the ‘latent demand and low base effect of the previous year.’ It said that local production has expanded, despite intensified competition from a new grinding operator and multiple cement importers, capitalising on the relaxed cement import restrictions. The company expects demand to improve further, supported by private sector-led construction and government infrastructure projects.

However, Tokyo Cement warned “The heightened volatility in the global trade policies and ongoing regional conflicts pose downside risks that add to the uncertainty and may jeopardise some of the hard-fought economic gains the country is working towards.”

It added “These factors may constrain capital inflows, dampen export prospects and impede economic recovery.”

Vietnam: Vietnam produced 90Mt of cement in the first half of 2025, up by 15% year-on-year, according to the latest data from the government’s National Statistics Office. June 2025 production rose by 27% year-on-year to reach 17.1Mt in June 2025. Revised 2024 data showed full-year output at 184.2Mt, up by 3.5% year-on-year.

Vietnam: Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem) recorded a consolidated after-tax profit of US$1.3m in the first half of 2025, following two consecutive years of losses, according to The Investor magazine. Clinker production reached 7.96Mt, up by 6.5% year-on-year, while cement exports totalled 0.71Mt. Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, Vicem expects domestic cement consumption to grow in the second half of 2025 due to increased public investment in infrastructure and recovering real estate supply, despite challenges from rain and storms in the northern and central regions, which could potentially affect demand. In addition, the industry continues to face challenges such as oversupply, price competition and changing customer preferences.

Vicem chair Nguyen Quoc Viet said that the company will focus on maintaining profitability by optimising clinker operations, enhancing efficiency and securing raw material supplies by securing a license and approval for mining exploration. It will also reportedly invest in technology upgrades and accelerate waste heat recovery power projects to reduce energy costs and CO₂ emissions.

Vicem manages 10 plants, housing 16 production lines, with an annual capacity of 20Mt/yr of clinker and 27Mt/yr of cement. It was the only one of six firms under the Ministry of Construction to report a loss in 2024, when it recorded a consolidated loss of US$55.15m.