US: Holcim has invested in Travertine, utilising the startup's technology to bind CO₂ from direct air capture into advanced mineral components for permanent carbon sequestration. This investment, made through Holcim MAQER Ventures, will scale Travertine’s technology for cement decarbonisation.

Chief Sustainability Officer at Holcim, Nollaig Forrest, said, "We're excited to work with innovative startups like Travertine to advance our goal of making decarbonised cement and concrete a reality at scale this decade. Driving circularity, Travertine reduces carbon emissions by capturing and binding CO₂ into advanced mineral solutions."

Spain: Mondi has launched the 'SolmixBag', a sustainable packaging solution, in collaboration with Cemex in the Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca. The single-layer paper bag is designed to store and transport dry mortar, dissolving in the mixing process and integrating with the cement to reduce waste. The Balearic Islands have strict legal requirements on landfilling, waste incineration and extended producer responsibility, which have reportedly initiated the partnership.

Commercial Director at Mondi, Fabio Barbieri, said "This is an exciting step in the trajectory of SolmixBag, which offers an easy and convenient solution to use on construction sites. The product launch brings our MAP2030 goals to life by effectively reducing waste, and also illustrates our collaborative approach.”

US: Queens Carbon has secured a US$14.5m grant from the US Department of Energy under its SCALEUP program. The funding will support the pilot of Queens Carbon's low temperature, ‘zero CO₂’ emission technology at an existing cement production site. Queens Carbon's supplementary cementitious materials, which replace 20-50% of the high-CO₂ binder in cement, will be produced at a pilot plant with a capacity of 10t/day.

CEO Daniel Kopp said “This SCALEUP grant is a tremendous step forward on our path to commercialisation. Partnering with the Department of Energy and a major cement industry player to deploy, operate, and optimise our 10t/day pilot plant will put us on an accelerated path to gigatonne-scale CO₂ reductions.”

Austria: Austria's cement industry produced approximately 4.4Mt in 2023, a 15% decrease from 2022. According to Holcim Austria CEO, Berthold Kren, there will be another double-digit decline in 2024. Kren highlighted a significant downturn in construction sectors, with a notable drop in housing permits. Infrastructure construction in eastern Austria is also decreasing, aligning with broader negative economic trends affecting the industrial construction sector.

India: UltraTech Cement says that it will acquire a 23% stake in The India Cements. The Press Trust of India has reported the value of the deal as US$226m. The transaction is scheduled for completion by the end of July 2024.

Switzerland: Holcim plans to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based software at 100 production plants by 2028. The company will use the technology for predictive maintenance, in order to increase operational efficiency and resilience. It has installed the system at 45 plants to date. C3 AI is providing its predictive software products, and the group is also piloting generative AI techniques.

Holcim CEO Miljan Gutovic said "AI is a transformative technology that will revolutionise our industry. Already widely embedded across Holcim, AI catalyses operational efficiency and enhances customer service.”

India: Shree Cement says that it has reached 1GW captive power capacity across its plants, after commissioning a new 19.5MW solar power plant at a facility in Andhra Pradesh. Renewables account for 499MW (50%) of the total. Shree Cement says that its investments in renewables to date total US$479m. NBM & CW News has reported that the company has current planned new investments worth US$120m in renewables. This will cover 132MW-worth of solar, 36MW of wind and 34MW of waste heat recovery power capacity.

India: Adani Group plans to invest US$15.7bn in the current, 2025 financial year. The investments will support Adani Group’s expansion and diversification across various sectors, including cement. The group plans to reach 140Mt/yr in cement production capacity by the end of the 2028 financial year. The 2025 financial year will end on 31 March 2025.

Switzerland: Holcim has acquired recycling, ready-mix concrete and aggregates company Cand-Landi Group. The company employs 250 people across its operations in Western Switzerland. Holcim plans for Cand-Landi Group to supply alternative raw materials and fuels for use at its Eclépens plant. It says that the acquisition will increase its recycling capacity of construction and demolition materials by 100,000t/yr.

Holcim CEO Miljan Gutovic said "The acquisition of the Cand-Landi Group will advance decarbonisation and circularity in Switzerland, a lighthouse market for innovation at Holcim. I look forward to welcoming all 250 employees of the Cand-Landi Group and investing in our next chapter of growth together."

UAE: India-based UltraTech Cement has revised its former offer to acquire a 32% stake in RAK White Cement.The group told investors on 25 June 2024 that it is now seeking to acquire a 25% stake. The acceptance period for its previous offer elapsed on 24 June 2024.