Germany: Aumund Group will be run by the Aumund Foundation, following the death of its owner Franz-Walter Aumund in February 2023. The Aumund Foundation, created in 2019, was originally set up to promote the group’s philanthropic concerns, particularly on education, vocational training and research.

Alex van Denderen, the chief financial officer of Aumund Group and Aumund Holding, said “The Aumund Group is led by managing directors who have grown with the company and whose primary focus is on proximity to customers. It pursues the values of quality and reliability which have increasingly become anchored in the Aumund brand over its hundred year history. The Aumund Foundation supports the principle of creating something lasting for others, and is committed to achieving a sustainable future for the next generation.”

The group supplies products and services for conveying, storage, loading and unloading of bulk materials, site service, maintenance, and freight forwarding. It covers process chains in the cement, lime, gypsum, mining, minerals, metallurgy, foundry, power, chemicals, fertiliser and foodstuffs industries, as well as in ports and terminals and alternative fuels. Its subsidiaries include Aumund Fördertechnik, Schade Lagertechnik, Samson Materials Handling, Tilemann Ketten & Komponenten, Aumund Group Field Service and Aumund Logistic.

Ukraine: Buzzi has agreed to sell its business in Ukraine to Ireland-based CRH for US$109m. The assets additionally include Buzzi’s Slovakian ready-mix concrete business. The Ukrainian business is comprised of the 2Mt/yr Volyn cement plant and 1Mt/yr Nikolajev cement plants, as well as ready-mix concrete operations in Kiev, Nikolajev and Odessa.

Italy-based Buzzi retains its operations in Russia, including the 3.6Mt/yr Suchoi Log cement plant in Irkutsk Oblast and the 700,000t/yr Korkino cement plant in Chelyabinsk Oblast.

Saudi Arabia: Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies (HGCT) and property developer Shurfah Holding have signed a letter of intent to conclude a licensing agreement for use of HGCT’s technology by the state-owned construction firm. BusinessWire News has reported that HGCT plans to build four new units to produce its clinker-free alternative cement in Saudi Arabia. Construction will begin in 2024. Shurfah Holding said that the partnership signals progress towards the development of smart cities under the state’s Vision 2030 economic plan.

HGCT co-founders Julien Blanchard and David Hoffmann thanked Shurfah Holding and said that the partnership represents an acceleration in the producer’s international development.

Afghanistan: The government of Afghanistan claims that five new cement plants will imminently commence construction across five Afghan provinces. Acting Mines and Petroleum Minister Shahabuddin Delawar said that plants are planned in Herat, Jawzjan, Kandahar, Logar and Parwan Provinces. When operational, the plants should make Afghanistan self-sufficient in its cement supply.

Indonesia: Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa has engaged Japan-based environmental consultancy Amita Holdings to support a two-year feasibility study to investigate ways to make its cement production carbon neutral. The study will commence with trials of industrial wastes as alternative raw materials and municipal solid waste as refuse-derived fuel. Amita Holdings says that it is in the process of building a recycling-based society in Indonesia, in partnership with Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa.

Amita Holdings supported the establishment of the community-led Meguru waste sorting facility in Central Java. Two of Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa’s cement plants – the 18Mt/yr Citeureup cement plant and 4.1Mt/yr Paliman cement plant – are situated in neighbouring West Java.

Germany: Heidelberg Materials has celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding with a ceremony under the slogan 150 Years of Progress. Throughout its existence to date, the company has grown from 35 employees in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, to 51,000 employees across 50 countries.

CEO Dominik von Achten said “150 years of progress, innovation and expertise are both an incentive and an obligation to help shape a more sustainable future for generations to come.” He added “We also want to make this a tangible experience here in Heidelberg where our company is based. That is why today marks the start of our anniversary campaign New Meeting Points of Innovation for Heidelberg. In the coming weeks and months, meeting places will be created in the Heidelberg city area to encourage exchange and innovative discussions. For this purpose, we want to set up a total of 150 benches made of sustainable building materials, and plant trees.”

India: The Goods and Services Tax Council will review the current imposition of a 28% goods and services tax on cement on 11 July 2023. The Telegraph newspaper has reported that the council is expected to recommend a reduction in the tax rate to the 18% band. Parliament’s Group of Ministers on Rate Rationalisation will then consider the recommendation.

Laos: Oudomxay Jiangge Cement held a ceremony to mark the start of cement sales from its 2Mt/yr Oudomxay cement plant in Namor District on 14 June 2023.

Asia News Network has reported that China-based Guizhou Jiangge Cement acquired outright ownership of Oudomxay Jiangge Cement in mid-2017.

Cambodia: Dongfang Junma Cement is building a US$95m cement plant at Pchaev, in Battambang Province's Rattanak Mondul District. Agence Kampuchea Presse has reported that Dongfang Junma Cement expects to employ 980 people at the plant.

India: Shree Cement has announced four planned capacity expansion projects that aim to increase its installed cement production capacity by 20% to 55.9Mt/yr. The Telegraph newspaper has reported that the producer expects to invest US$670 - 730m in the expansion. The investments will go towards the establishment of new facilities in Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The West Bengal project consists of a grinding plant in Howrah or Purba Medinipur District. The new phase of expansion is part of Shree Cement's strategy to reach 80Mt/yr of cement production capacity by 2030.

Vice chair Prashant Bangur said “Given the robust demand for cement in the country and Shree Cement’s aspiration to grow further, we are looking at four more units once the present phase of expansion is over.”

Shree Cement is currently expanding its Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, and Nawalgarh, Rajasthan, cement plants and building its new 3Mt/yr Purulia grinding plant in West Bengal.