Displaying items by tag: Production

Malaysia: Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) subsidiary Cahya Mata Cement is seeking approval from the Sarawak government to begin construction of a second clinker production line in Mambong. The line was first announced in January 2025. According to Bernama news, the new line will more than double the producer’s clinker capacity to 1.92Mt/yr from 900,000t/yr and is scheduled for completion in March 2027. Once operational, it will enable the group to manufacture up to 2.4Mt/yr of cement.

The project will be developed with China-based Sinoma Industry Engineering under a consulting agreement signed in 2023. The agreement covers the design and subsequent construction of the clinker line, as well as optimisation of the existing production line. The line will include a 6MW waste heat recovery system and a dust filtration system to cut emissions by 50%.

CMS group general counsel Izzam Ibrahim said “We are going through the regulatory approvals, and we are working very closely with the state government to obtain approval to start construction. In fact, we have lined up all the necessary manpower and procurement processes to kickstart the project. Once the project is off the ground, the target for completion will remain on track.”

Vietnam: Cement production rose by 4% year-on-year to 36.9Mt in the first quarter of 2025, according to the General Statistics Office. In March 2025, output reached 14.4Mt, up by 1.5% year-on-year. In 2024, the country produced 184.2Mt, an increase of 3.5% year-on-year.

Nepal: Hetauda Cement Industry resumed cement production on 7 April 2025 following a five-month suspension due to electricity shortages. According to general manager Nabin Kumar Karna, the plant requires 8MW/day of electricity to crush limestone.

The plant reportedly holds 1900t of coal in reserve and is acquiring a further 4000t through a bidding process. Though its capacity is 18,000 bags/day, current output is only 12,000 bags/day.

Ukraine: Ukrainian cement and concrete producers are ready to expand capacity to meet reconstruction demand, according to a survey by Consumer and Business Research Ukraine (CBR), despite reduced funding and limited state budget. Cement production dropped to 5.4Mt in 2022 from 11Mt in 2021 but stabilised at 7.4Mt in 2023 and 7.97Mt in 2024. CBR estimates that 8Mt/yr is feasible during wartime, rising to 12Mt/yr in the third or fourth year of reconstruction.

The Ukrainian Cement Association (UkrCement) head Pavlo Kachur said “Reconstruction will begin with demining, reinforcing the front lines and restoring energy infrastructure. Large-scale construction will likely not begin until the third or fourth year.”

At present, plant capacity utilisation varies across regions. Plants in western Ukraine are operating at higher capacity, while those in the south and east remain underutilised. In 2022, plants operated at a loss but retained staff. In 2023, volumes were sufficient to break even. Two-thirds of surveyed consumers increased production in 2023, though 2024 expectations were cautious.

Kachur said “Time will be needed for training, planning and securing financing—and cement producers will use that time to fill the market, primarily by investing in modernisation and capacity expansion. For example, two major projects to build new kilns are already ready in Kryvy Rih and Ivano-Frankivsk.”

The study notes that building brand new plants is unlikely, but modernising existing kilns can be accomplished within a year. It expects at least two plants to launch new kilns, increasing capacity by 2Mt/yr. For example, Kryvyi Rih Cement has obtained a permit to develop the Maryanske limestone deposit (60km from the plant) and plans to build a clinker kiln at the site.

CBR researcher Tetiana Sytnyk said “Cement companies are ready to make rapid investments in modernisation and to launch additional kilns once recovery begins. They’re waiting for clear signals to proceed – such as the allocation of reconstruction funds or a surge in demand to at least 9.5Mt/yr.”

Ukraine exported 1.7Mt of cement in 2024, up from 56,000t in 2021, with Kachur adding that exports have ‘saved’ the local industry during the war. Developed countries will be capable of meeting Ukraine’s reconstruction needs, though this could hurt local producers. Kachur added “During the recovery phase, Ukraine’s market must be as localised as possible with domestic products. Only countries that supported us during the war should have access.”

Russia: Kavkazcement plans to spend US$224m on equipment modernisation after cement production costs rose by 30–34% in 2024, according to local news reports. The producer recorded a production increase of 11% year-on-year to 2Mt in 2024 and aims to grow output by a further 10% in 2025.

General director Sergey Bogomaz said “Cement from Kavkazcement is in demand in many regions of Russia. The main deliveries go to the Rostov Region, Volgograd Region and Krasnodar Krai. In our region, we see an increase in construction volumes. New infrastructure projects are emerging, such as the construction of the first airport in Karachay-Cherkessia.”

Kenya: Cement consumption rose by 27% year-on-year in January 2025, up by 4% in December 2024, according to provisional data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Cement production also grew by 21% year-on-year in January following more than a year of contraction. In the 12 months to January 2025, cement consumption fell by 5% year-on-year and cement production dropped by 6% year-on-year.

Azerbaijan: Cement production rose by 6% year-on-year to 0.58Mt the first two months of 2025, up from 0.55Mt in the previous corresponding period. Cement clinker output increased by 11% to 0.61Mt from 0.55Mt in the same period of 2024, according to the State Statistical Committee.

The State Customs Committee reported exports of 0.14Mt of cement and clinker at a value of US$9.1m. This represents an increase of 32,000t (29%) by volume and US$2.7m (43%) by value compared to the same period in the previous year.

Nepal: Hetauda Cement Industry will restart production in the first week of April 2025 after completing machinery maintenance, securing raw materials and reaching agreement with employees, according to local news reports. The state-owned plant halted production on 1 October 2024. It has a capacity of 16,000 bags/day.

Acting general manager Nabin Kumar Karna said “It took some time to repair the machinery as it was old and damaged. The machines were installed when the industry was first established in 1977, and replacing them immediately was not possible due to financial constraints. Currently, we have about 100t of coal in stock, and more is expected to arrive starting tomorrow, so the raw material supply is not a major concern.”

Karna said that the electricity issues the company had previously faced had been resolved, and the Nepal Electricity Authority were ‘committed’ to providing a regular electricity supply.

South Korea: Domestic cement sales fell by 25% year-on-year to 4.45Mt in the first two months of 2025, according to the Korea Cement Association. This is reportedly the lowest number recorded for domestic sales in January-February in the past five years. Sales during the same period in 2020–2022 exceeded 6Mt, and in 2023 reached 7.12Mt due to delayed post-Covid construction.

Producers have suspended eight of 35 production lines and may halt two more due to high inventories, which reached 3.4Mt at the end of February 2025, close to 90% of storage capacity.

A Korea Cement Association official said “Unless the construction economy recovers, the management crisis in the cement industry caused by the severe drop in demand will continue for the time being.”

Kyrgyzstan: Production of cement grew by 48% in the first two months of 2025 to 0.29Mt, according to the National Statistical Committee. Production in January 2025 was 0.12Mt. This follows a rise in cement imports by over 300% year-on-year in January 2025.