Displaying items by tag: efficiency

Southeast Asia: The ASEAN Federation of Cement Manufacturers (AFCM) has launched the 2035 AFCM Decarbonisation Roadmap, which it says is the world’s first regional decarbonisation strategy for the cement sector. The roadmap was announced during the 46th AFCM Council Meeting in Brunei Darussalam, chaired by Dr Chana Poomee and attended by cement association leaders from all eight AFCM member countries.

The roadmap sets a shared framework for systematic CO₂ reduction aligned with national climate policies and global environmental goals. Supported by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), it is built upon four pillars: expansion of low carbon cement, transition to renewable energy across production processes and enhancing efficiency to reduce energy consumption, deployment of decarbonisation technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), and development of new supplementary cementitious materials.

Member associations from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam said that national implementation will vary depending on local energy mix, policies, industrial maturity and material availability. The strategy could reportedly cut regional CO₂ emissions by up to 38Mt by 2035.

Syria: The General Company for the Manufacturing and Marketing of Cement and Building Materials (Omran) has held talks with an investment delegation from China’s BITEC on expanding technical, commercial and investment cooperation in the cement and construction materials sector. The meeting addressed upgrading production lines, improving operational efficiency and supporting national reconstruction.

Omran director general Mahmoud Fadila outlined the cement industry’s current state, future development plans, investment opportunities and sector challenges. The BITEC delegation reportedly expressed interest in expanding its presence in Syria and offering technology and industrial support to increase output.

Türkiye: Nuh Çimento has installed a new electric LPS 420 portal slewing crane from Liebherr at its private port in Hereke to boost efficiency and reduce emissions. The crane has a 124t lifting capacity and can handle up to 1500t/hr. The company said that the crane is designed for high-throughput handling of abrasive materials such as clinker and cement.

Nuh Çimento’s port handles 5Mt/yr of dry bulk cargo and serves over 40 export markets. The 595m berth supports vessels up to 80,000dwt and features a 300m underground conveyor tunnel and automated loading systems.

Brazil: Cimento Apodi said that it has recorded a 20% thermal substitution rate (TSR), avoided 1500t/yr of CO₂ emissions and invested more than US$4.7m in a new 5MW solar park. The producer has targeted a 25% TSR by the end of 2025.

It says it will increase renewable energy use through its solar park and a waste heat recovery system. Together these will supply 25% of its electricity demand by the end of 2025. The implementation of the cement mill optimiser (CMO), an artificial intelligence-based system developed with the Federal University of Ceará and the Titan Group, has increased mill productivity by up to 13% and installed capacity by 10%. The company is also developing gasifiers that can reduce emissions by up to 10% per tonne of cement.

The integrated Quixeré cement plant coprocesses byproducts such as tyres, cashew nut shells, açaí seeds, carnauba stalks and industrial waste from other sectors. All materials undergo sorting and characterisation to meet the parameters of particle size, moisture and calorific value.

India: FLSmidth has signed a contract with UltraTech Cement to supply two new Cross-Bar coolers with HRBs to upgrade the pyroprocessing lines at its Dalavoi and Sankar Nagar plants in Tamil Nadu. The upgrades aim to increase efficiency and productivity at both facilities.

Bangladesh: Most cement plants are operating at less than 30% capacity, far below the global benchmark of 70–80%, according to the Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA) via The Business Standard. National consumption fell to 38Mt in 2024, less than 40% of total capacity, and has declined further in 2025, forcing producers to cut output and lay off workers.

BCMA president Amirul Haque said “After Covid-19, we began recovering in 2021, driven by renewed construction. But since 2023, the situation has worsened drastically. Entrepreneurs expanded based on government demand. When projects slowed, we faced a severe cash flow crisis. Several small plants have already shut down.”

Bashundhara Cement, which has a capacity of 7.3Mt/yr, is reportedly running at 20% utilisation, while Mir Cement has reduced output to a quarter of capacity. Premier Cement is operating at around 40% capacity and Crown Cement has 60% of its capacity idle. Only Meghna Group of Industries reports growth, though utilisation remains 65%.

Nigeria: Lafarge Africa recorded sales of US$533bn in the first nine months of 2025, up by 63% year-on-year from US$327m. Its operating profit more than doubled to US$204m, from US$88.9m in the first nine months of 2024. The company grew its profit after tax to US$142m, more than triple its nine-month 2024 figure of US$41.1m. The producer attributed the growth to an increase in sales volumes and operational efficiency gains.

CEO Lolu Alade-Akinyemi said "Building on the performance from previous quarters, the third quarter of 2025 showcased our cost discipline, strategic market positioning, unwavering commitment to value creation and strong operational efficiency – demonstrated by a 7% year-on-year improvement in capacity utilisation."

Egypt: Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir met with cement producers to discuss production trends, recent price declines, and ways to increase capacity and restart idle production lines, according to a ministry statement. The meeting forms part of the Ministry of Industry’s plan to enhance efficiency in the cement sector and ensure sufficient supply to the local market. Officials reviewed recent price movements, local production levels, and reasons for the shutdown of certain production lines, with a view to their reactivation, according to Zawya news. Cement manufacturers continue to submit monthly production reports to the General Authority for Industrial Development (IDA), including data on licensed capacities, actual output and exports. The review showed that several companies have the technical ability to exceed their currently licensed production limits.

In response, the IDA will study applications from these producers to expand permitted capacities, aiming to optimise resource use, increase supply and stabilise market prices. The meeting also addressed the causes of plant shutdowns, including spare part shortages and ongoing renovation of production units. Some companies are upgrading their systems to align with production and efficiency standards. El-Wazir reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting plants in overcoming technical or administrative obstacles and restoring full operational capacity. The meeting further discussed expanding the use of alternative fuels derived from agricultural and household waste to reduce production costs and environmental impact. Cement companies reportedly expressed interest in this transition, viewing it as a way to enhance competitiveness and sustainability.

Greece: As of 10 September 2025, Heracles Group will permanently discontinue its 50kg cement bag, becoming the first company in the Greek construction sector to fully transition to smaller bag sizes, according to a press release. The company said that the decision ‘responds to market needs,’ while setting new standards for healthy and safety and efficiency on site.

The company said that the move is expected to ‘significantly improve’ daily operations across construction sites, creating better working conditions and boosting productivity. According to the company, key benefits of the new packaging include reduced strain and fewer injuries on site, easier handling and transport, compliance with European occupational health and safety standards and minimised waste.

US: Ash Grove Cement, part of CRH, has deployed Boston Dynamics’ autonomous robot ‘Spot’ at its cement plant in Washington in a year-long pilot to boost efficiency and safety. Operating more than 80 hours a week, the four-legged robot conducts routine inspections using a 4K camera and laser scanning, detecting anomalies and alerting teams before failures occur.

The company said that the robot can measure refractory bricks inside cement kilns, reducing risks by keeping employees out of hazardous environments. During the trial, Spot detected a failing bearing in rotating equipment, preventing unplanned downtime. Ash Grove said that the technology improves site safety, frees skilled teams for complex work and enables real-time monitoring in the hot and dusty conditions at the plant.

Plant manager Andy White said “Our aim for Spot is that, at the moment, we don’t have preventative or proactive maintenance routines on night shifts and the weekends. And, also, our labour force has to spend a lot of time recording data rather than analysing it… Spot can do this for us. When we come in the mornings, we already have reported generated, so we can proactively fix those issues thather than spending eight hours trying to find them.”