India: UltraTech Cement reported a flat net profit for the three month period ending 30 June 2024 of US$203m, compared to US$202m in the same period in 2023. The company's income rose by 2% to US$2.18bn, while domestic sales volumes grew 7% year-on-year to 32Mt, despite a 9% decline from the previous quarter. EBITDA slightly declined to US$383m from US$384m.

Nigeria: The Joint Committee of the House of Representatives is investigating the sharp rise in cement prices in the country. Major industry players, including Dangote Cement and Lafarge Africa, must submit detailed production cost documents to justify the market price of cement. The committee plans to visit the production plants after reviewing these financial records to establish the cost of production and determine a fair price for cement. The inquiry covers production costs from 2020 to July 2024.

One committee member pointed out that Dangote Cement has continued to make significant profits despite sourcing most of its raw materials locally, and questioned why the price of cement keeps rising whilst producers continue to profit. In response, Dangote Cement’s Managing Director, Mr Arvind Pathack, attributed 95% of production costs to imports or foreign exchange impacts, noting significant increases in input costs and logistical challenges exacerbated by the poor state of infrastructure and foreign exchange limitations. The committee called for a review of company policies to potentially lower prices, criticising the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCC)’s inactivity in addressing the pricing issue.

Chair of the Committee, Jonathan Gaza, said “We are extremely hopeful that this engagement will lead to a reduction in the price of cement. FCCPC has slept on their functions so far; their inactivity and unresponsiveness to price is what has put Nigeria where we are today.”

Uzbekistan: Cement manufacturers in Uzbekistan produced 6.2Mt of cement from January to May 2024, reflecting 35% growth year-on-year, according to data from the local Statistics Agency. In May 2024, production was at 1.7Mt.

Philippines: Taiheiyo Cement Philippines has inaugurated a new US$220m production line at its plant in San Fernando, Cebu, which is expected to support national cement production and reduce reliance on imports. The plant now has a capacity of 3Mt/yr, or 6000t/day of clinker. The new production line replaced the old facility, which was demolished in 2021. The facility incorporates kiln renewal technology that reportedly cuts CO₂ emissions by at least 10% through reduced energy consumption and a lower clinker factor. San Fernando Mayor Mytha Ann Canoy said the new facility is expected to generate 2000 new jobs.

India: Adani Group is planning to acquire cement assets from Jaypee Group, which include over 9Mt/yr of cement capacity, following Jaiprakash Associates' insolvency proceedings initiated in early June 2024. The National Company Law Tribunal in Allahabad admitted Jaiprakash Associates for corporate insolvency on 3 June 2024. Adani would acquire significant assets in the deal, including limestone mines and a power plant, although formal asset sale processes have not yet commenced.

US: Heidelberg Materials has won negotiation for up to US$5m in funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a web-based tool for cement facilities to produce Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). The funding is part of the EPA’s grant initiative to report and reduce emissions from the manufacture of construction materials, which awarded nearly US$160m to 38 recipients nationally.

Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has urged local cement manufacturers to apply for Tatak Pinoy certification, as the government promotes Philippine-made products. Local manufacturer Republic Cement was awarded the first Domestic Bidder’s Certificate of Preference (DOBID), ensuring the use of local materials in government projects.

DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said "One of our main priority industries under Tatak Pinoy is manufacturing. Hence, we really want local manufacturing companies to apply for the DOBID certificate so we can help them expand their market, boost growth and enhance competitiveness."

Kyrgyzstan: Cement production in Kyrgyzstan totalled 1.01Mt from January to May 2024, a decline of 5.7% year-on-year from 1.08Mt, according to data from the country’s National Statistics Committee. May 2024 saw production of 0.36Mt of cement, a rise of 10.5% year-on-year from May 2023.

Mexico: Regenera, a subsidiary of Cemex, has launched a pilot project at its Broquers Ambiental plant in Querétaro to transform the city’s organic waste into alternative fuel using a drying process known as ‘biosecado’. This initiative makes Querétaro the first zero waste municipality in Mexico, according to the company. The plant now processes almost 90% of the municipality’s waste, transforming over 8000t monthly into biomass to reduce the amount of material sent to landfill.

Vice president of urban solutions at Cemex Mexico, Antonio Balmori, said "This project that we started today at our Broquers Ambiental plant excites me very much because it will take the city of Querétaro to the next level in waste management, where we will seek to take advantage of 100% of the urban solid waste generated in the municipality."

UK: Cemex UK has announced the publication of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its cement products manufactured at the Rugby and Tilbury plants. The EPDs are for the cement delivered in bulk tankers, covering over 80% of its manufactured cements.

Head of sustainability for Cemex Europe, Paul Fletcher, said "Achieving third-party verification through the International EPD System provides independent and transparent information of our cement’s environmental performance over the entire lifecycle of the product."