Displaying items by tag: Report

UK: Holcim UK has published a report called ‘Making Sustainable Construction a Reality’ outlining its plans to support sustainable construction following a survey. It details trends shaping construction and the five commitments the company is making to ensure it reaches a more sustainable future. The key areas include: decarbonisation; circular economy and waste reduction; smarter construction; people and communities; and integrating nature.

The research, involving 2000 participants, revealed that 41% of the group thought that the UK’s urban spaces are currently built sustainably. In addition, 82% of the group believed there should be more access to green spaces across the country, 69% thought that the government should take the lead in driving sustainable action and 54% also held the opinion that businesses must play a key role. Finally, 80% wanted companies to be more transparent about their sustainability policies.

Lee Sleight, CEO at Holcim UK, said “Our research indicates that many recognise the need to incorporate more green spaces across the nation. Yet, it is clear that the government and businesses must work together to achieve this.” He added that the subsidiary of Holcim is addressing the challenges identified through methods such as accurate reporting, higher usage of alternative fuels, its sustainable product ranges and its ongoing Nature Strategy. Projects part of the latter initiative include planting a 64 hectare woodland at Glensanda Quarry in Scotland.

The European Union (EU) is set to launch its Green Deal Industrial Plan, today, on 26 February 2025. It is the latest plan to help industry in the region reach net zero whilst remaining competitive. Key parts of the scheme that have been seen by the media include support for industries facing high energy prices, tax breaks for decarbonisation projects, simplifying the cross border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), linking funding for industrial CO₂ cutting more directly to revenue gathered from the emissions trading scheme (ETS) and revamping procurement rules.

Cembureau, the European cement association, presented its comments on the impending announcement earlier this week. On CBAM it said that more work was required on exports, “such as export adjustment or continued free allowances for exported goods through the application of the destination principle which merits more in-depth analysis and discussion as to its WTO compatibility.” On financing it called for 75% of ETS taxation on the cement sector to be funnelled straight back again in the form of a cement decarbonisation fund. On infrastructure it called for competitive access to low-carbon energy sources such as thermal biowaste and electricity. It also lobbied for the rapid-development of CO₂ pipelines and storage sites. Finally, on lead markets it asked that concrete carbonation and CO₂ use in construction materials be recognised as a carbon sink and that carbon capture and utilisation using CO₂ from industrial sectors be acknowledged through a review of the CO₂ accounting rules in the ETS.

Lobbyists from the other side of the argument, also ahead of the official unveiling of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, took a dim view of the ETS. A report published by Carbon Market Watch and WWF called for greater scrutiny to be placed on the scheme. Its argument is that the “current architecture of the EU ETS continues to reward heavy polluters by granting them free allowances instead of incentivising emissions reductions.” Holcim, Heidelberg Materials and Cemex were each singled out as having received more free allowances under the ETS than the actual emissions they were responsible for in 2023. The report also reflected the growing environmental backlash against carbon capture and utilisation and/or storage (CCUS). In its view the money from the ETS going into the Innovation Fund should be directed at schemes that directly reduce emissions, not at CCUS projects, although it did concede that the cement and lime industries were some of the few sectors that should be allowed funding towards CCUS. This may be a point for the cement sector to watch for in the future if there ends up being a wider backlash against CCUS in general.

The Carbon Market Watch-WWF case is that the cement sector (and others) have received far too many free allowances in the ETS for far too long. The authors admit that the allowances are set to fall fast, to 2034, as the CBAM comes in but they don’t think that anywhere near enough has been done. This has not been helped over the years by news stories occasionally emerging of idled cement plants appearing to make money from emissions allowances. These occurrences date back to the drop in production following the financial crash in 2008 but there have been more recent examples.

Graph 1: Allowances for and emissions from clinker production from the emissions trading scheme in the European Union, 2017 - 2023. Source: EU Transaction Log (EUTL).

As Graph 1 above shows the environmentalists may be overstating their point on the ETS given that emissions were higher than the free allocation in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. Roughly speaking, both the allowances and emissions by the cement sector from clinker production have been dropping since 2017 and further back to the mid-2000s. The system is intended to squeeze emissions but it doesn't take into account short-term variations in market conditions. Cembureau data shows that production rose in 2021. Sure enough, emissions jumped above the allocation. Although the cement production data is yet to be released for 2023, it is looking fairly likely that it will have decreased. Hence, emissions have fallen below the allocation level.

Few are likely to be happy with the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan. For producers, it is unlikely to add sufficient support against the additional ‘green’ cost burden. For environmentalists, it doesn't go far enough. The usual equilibrium for EU sustainability legislation is aiming at the target of net-zero without killing industry. The current US administration has further tipped this balancing act with its threats to fight against CBAM and the like with trade tariffs. Tom Lord, Redshaw Advisors described the EU ETS as a political construct at the Global FutureCem Conference that took place in February 2025 in Istanbul. This also applies to the EU’s green legislation (like any laws). Subsequently, certainty is a word that crops up frequently in discussions about EU green policies. Can EU industry be certain that these political constraints remain should circumstances change? With the ETS allowances dropping, CBAM coming and industry facing higher energy prices than its competitors, we’re about to find out how committed the EU is on net-zero and who the winners and losers will be.

Canada: Cement exports declined by 2% year-on-year to 4.4Mt in 2024, according to a report by IndexBox. In terms of value, exports reached US$534m in 2024.

The US remained the sole export destination, accounting for 100% of total exports, according to the report. Portland cement represented 85% of total shipments at 3.7Mt.

Ukraine: The cost to rebuild Ukraine post-war is projected at US$487bn, according to a report commissioned by the United States Agency for International Development. The report states that to support the reconstruction, Ukraine must produce 15-16Mt/yr of cement for three years, a significant increase from current capacities. Protectionist measures in place since 2019 have restricted cement imports and a decline in production and a shrinking market could lead to an increase in construction costs, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Amid these projections, CRH, which operates three plants in Ukraine, announced in summer 2023 that it aims to purchase two more from Buzzi's subsidiary Dyckerhoff. This deal is valued at €100m, with the company stressing the importance of its investments in Ukrainian cement plants to boost the country’s domestic production to 15Mt/yr, according to Forbes Ukraine. The deal is reportedly under scrutiny by Ukraine's Anti-Monopoly Committee due to market concentration concerns, which could drive up cement prices and overall reconstruction costs.

Serhiy Pylypenko, CEO of the Ukrainian building supplies firm Kovalska, Ukraine’s largest cement user, said “We need more players and to diversify the market instead of making it more compact because the competition is very weak. Market concentration allows uncontrolled pricing and the cost of construction and the cost of recovery to skyrocket."

Barbados: Trinidad Cement, owners of Arawak Cement Company, noted a decline in the Barbados cement market in 2023, according to its annual report.

Managing director Francisco Aguilera Mendoza said "In Barbados, the overall market declined by 14.3%, of which Arawak Cement Company experienced a decline of 8.8% in domestic cement volumes compared to 2022. Trinidad and Tobago’s cement export volume fell by almost 11% when compared to 2022, due to supply chain constraints and an increase in the local market demand. This drop in cement exports was almost fully compensated by our clinker exports to Barbados that started in 2023 after Arawak Cement’s change in its operating model.”

Kenya: Cemtech, a subsidiary of Devki Group, has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment report to the National Environment Management Authority for a new clinker plant in Kitui County. The company aims to receive approval from the Kenyan government to establish the plant, according to the Business Daily newspaper. The company says that the plant will boost local cement production and increase employment opportunities.

World: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has published its Cement Industry Net Progress Report 2023. The report highlights the work of the GCCA and its members to lower their CO₂ emissions since signing the 2050 Net Zero Roadmap in October 2021. Initiatives include carbon capture and storage, renewables and alternative materials. These strategies have contributed to a 23% decline in cement and concrete’s CO₂ emissions between 1990 and 2023.

GCCA president and Cemex chief executive officer Fernando González said “We are pleased to present this report, which captures the progress our industry is making towards net zero. But it will take the combined efforts of industry, governments and societies around the world to deliver on this commitment.” He added “This is the decade to deliver, and my number one priority is to facilitate the GCCA roadmap levers, designed to make full decarbonisation of our industry possible.”

The Cement Industry Net Progress Report 2023 is available here on the GCCA’s website.

Denmark: FLSmidth’s sales were US$1.82bn during the first half of 2023, up by 28% year-on-year from US$1.43bn in the first half of 2022. Its earnings before interest, taxation and amortisation (EBITA) fell by 7%, to US$83.1m from US$89.3m. The supplier recorded a new order intake worth US$1.64m, down by 14% from US$1.9m. New cement orders fell by 33% amid reduced demand, especially for FLSmidth’s product offering. In line with its de-risking strategy, FLSmidth continued to accept only those product orders that also supported its service business. The company maintained its guidance of cement sales of US$879m and an EBITA margin of 5.5 – 6.5% for the full-year 2023.

CEO Mikko Keto said “We have maintained the strong momentum on our key transformation efforts during the second quarter of 2023. While we have continued to progress on our MissionZero agenda, our safety performance has been unsatisfactory and mitigating actions have been taken.” Keto continued “While our cement business remains on target for the full year, its short-to-mid-term market outlook has deteriorated. Consequently, continued organisational rightsizing is required to preserve profitability. Going into the second half of the year we remain positive, with a continued strong focus on executing our core transformation efforts.”

Italy: Buzzi Unicem reduced its specific gross scope 1 CO₂ emissions by 4% year-on-year to 664kg/t cementitious product in 2022 from 689kg/t in 2021. As part of its Sustainability Report for 2022 it revealed that specific CO₂ emissions varied from a low of 500kg/t in Luxembourg to a high of 812kg/t in Ukraine. Its specific thermal consumption fell slightly to 4084MJ/t clinker and its thermal substitution rate was 29.9%.

The company’s Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LITFR) was 4.9 and two fatalities were reported. It also noted that six employees – five Ukrainian and one Russian – died as a result of the war between Ukraine and Russia that started in February 2022. In addition, six staff were wounded, one taken prisoner and two were reported missing from its Ukrainian workforce.

The building materials producer noted that it had met some of its five-year sustainability targets set in 2017, including a 5% reduction in specific CO2 emissions, the implementation of structural engagement projects at all of its production sites with a high economic, environmental and social impact and the achievement of increasingly safe working conditions.

Greece: Titan Cement Group published its 2022 Integrated Report on 6 April 2023. The report outlines the cement producer’s financial and environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. For the full year, the group recorded a net profit of Euro110m, up by 19.3% year-on-year. It made ‘record’ capital expenditure investments of Euro242m, and increased its net debt by 12% to Euro797m.

The group says that it is ‘on track’ to meet its ESG targets for 2025 and beyond. It reduced its specific CO₂ emissions by 5% decade-on-decade in 2022. Throughout the year, Titan Cement Group continued its investments in research, development and innovation activities across all markets, with an increased focus on carbon capture, storage and utilisation. It also rolled out its digital transformation to further plants around the globe.