Nigeria: Dangote Cement's consolidated sales grew by 15% year-on-year to US$2.66bn during the first nine months of 2022 from US$2.31bn in the same period in 2021. In Nigeria the company recorded cement and clinker sales volumes of 13.5Mt, down by 4.7% from 14.1Mt. In the rest of Africa its cement and clinker sales were 7.37Mt, down by 9.7% from 8.16Mt. The group recorded consolidated earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$1.17bn, up by 0.2% from US$1.16bn.

Throughout the first nine months of 2022, Dangote Cement co-processed 102,000t of alternative fuel in its cement production, up by 77% year-on-year from the corresponding period of 2022.

Vietnam: Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem) sold 18.5Mt of cement during the first nine months of 2022, up by 6.5% year-on-year from the same period in 2021. The producer's cement and clinker sales volumes totaled 20.9Mt during the period, 71% of its full-year 2022 target.

Vicem recorded a pretax profit of US$60.4m, up by 8.4%. Vicem aims to achieve a US$82.5m pretax profit and increase its revenues by 10% to US$1.49bn.

Vietnam: During the first ten months of 2022, Vietnam National Cement Association (VNCA) members exported 25.9Mt of cement and clinker, with a total value of US$1.16bn. Volumes dropped by 30% year-on-year from 37Mt, while the value of exports dropped by 20% from US$1.43bn.

In 2021 Vietnam exported 43.5Mt of cement and clinker, worth US$1.78bn, up by 13% year-on-year in volume and by 24% in value.

Estonia: Competition authorities have opened additional proceedings into Schwenk Zement subsidiary Schwenk Eesti's deal to acquire a majority stake in Betoonimeister. The parties concluded their agreement in late September 2022.

Betoonimeister supplies ready-mix concrete across Estonia from six batching plants in Jõhvi, Pärnu, Tapa, Tallinn and Tartu. It employs a total of 90 people.

Nigeria: BUA Cement's nine-month 2022 results showed a 41% year-on-year rise to US$596m from US$424m in the same period of 2021. Meanwhile, its profit after tax grew to US$168m, up by 12% from US$150m. Throughout the period, BUA Cement's cost of sales rose by 43% to US$324m from US$226m.

Europe: Ireland-based Ecocem and seven other European sustainable technology companies have launched the Cleantech Scale-Up Coalition, with the backing of green investment funding network Breakthrough Energy. The coalition will work to contribute to European climate neutrality, energy autonomy and industrially competitiveness. Other participants' fields include carbon capture, green hydrogen technologies, transport electrification, batteries and recycling.

Ecocem's managing director Donal O’Riain said “Scalable, low carbon cements, which can decarbonise the European cement industry by 50% by 2030, are ready to deploy today. To do so, they need to be rapidly industrialised. This coalition, which allows Ecocem to combine forces with other world-class companies, will enable our ambition by working to remove the barriers to an accelerated decarbonisation of European, and global, industry.”

India: JK Cement has successfully inaugurated its new 2Mt/yr Hamirpur grinding plant in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur District. The Indian Express newspaper has reported that the facility will produce grey cement.

Managing director Raghavpat Singhania said "The Hamirpur plant is a significant milestone. The commissioning of this plant has enabled a new growth engine for our grey cement business."

Malaysia: Borneo Oil has entered into a conditional share sale agreement with Makin Teguh's 45% owner Global 2332 to enlarge its stake in the cement company by 31%, to 60%. Borneo Oil has proposed a private placement to raise US$11.3m towards funding the US$21.2m deal. It previously completed a US$4.65m shares issue on 26 October 2022. Bernama Daily Malaysian News has reported that Makin Teguh plans to commence operations at its 220,000t/yr Sabah integrated cement and clinker plant in early 2023. It owns two limestone mines, with total reserves of 14.4Mt.

Malaysia: Cahya Mata Sarawak has informed its customers that its cement despatches will be 'back to normal' by 6 November 2022. The producer's closure of its 1Mt/yr Kuching cement plant for maintenance, followed by unexpected raw materials supply issues, has caused a shortage of cement in western Sarawak State. Bernama Daily Malaysian News has reported that a 14-day delay to raw materials deliveries to the Kuching plant ensued due to heavy rains.

The producer said “We would like to apologise for the shortage of cement, and will strive to ensure a steady supply of cement to all of our customers.”

Cahya Mata Sarawak has successfully maintained regular supply of cement to other areas of Sarawak, including Bintulu, Miri and Sibu, through despatches of cement from its Bintulu grinding plant.

Switzerland: Holcim increased its consolidated sales by 14% year-on-year during the first nine months of 2022 on a like-for-like basis, to US$22.8bn from US$19.9bn. Its recurring earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) rose by 6.5% to US$3.74bn from US$3.53m. The group’s cement segment’s sales volumes were 139Mt, down by 1%. The segment contributed US$13bn in sales, up by 14%. Concrete sales volumes were 36.6Mm² , up by 4.1%. During the reporting period the group completed its divestment of its operations in India and Brazil and derived cash proceeds of US$7.3bn. Overall net sales grew in all five of the group’s business regions on a like-for-like basis with particular growth noted in the Americas. Cement sales volumes fell in Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East Africa.