Cyprus: Vassiliko Cement’s Vassiliko cement plant was the site of a tyre fire in an alternative fuel (AF) storage area on 11 June 2022. The Cyprus Mail newspaper has reported that the fire begun due to a mobile shredder malfunction. Enerco Energy Recovery operates the shredder at the 2.5Mt/yr cement plant. Local residents protested the incident at the site of the plant’s former quarry on 13 June 2022.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement plans to introduce a coal surcharge for its cementitious products in September 2022 due to rising energy prices. It will use a surcharge system linked to the price of coal for one year until the end of August 2023. The first surcharge will be determined based on the price of coal in June 2022 and then disclosed in mid-August 2022. It will be revised every two months. The surcharge will be charged separately from the product price.

The cement company said that, “Although we are trying to further reduce costs, it is not possible to absorb the unprecedented rise in costs only by corporate efforts.”

India: Shree Digvijay Cement plans to more than double the capacity of its Digvijaygram cement plant in Gujarat’s Jamnagar District to 3Mt/yr from 1.2Mt/yr. Projects Today News has reported that the project will begin by mid-2023, and will also include the establishment of a waste heat recovery (WHR) plant.

Argentina: The National Commission for the Defence of Competition (CNDC) has concluded an investigation into the cement industry with the finding that all four Argentinian cement producers colluded to maintain high prices between 2013 and 2018. Cementera Avellaneda, Holcim Argentina, Loma Negra and Petroquímica Comodoro Rivadavia (PCR) reportedly increased their sales by US$178m between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018 through cost overruns generated by their control of local markets.

The CNDC ordered the Portland Cement Manufacturers Association (AFCP) to refrain from distributing competitively sensitive information production, dispatches and imports information between its member companies.

Germany: Beumer Group has completed its acquisition of conveyor systems and loading technology supplier FAM Group.

Beumer Group says that the acquisition expands its portfolio and complements its competence in the project planning of plants with FAM Group’s know-how and global positioning throughout the entire value chain, including aftersales service.

Nigeria: BUA Cement has donated a solar motorised borehole and medicines worth US$59,600 to eight host communities in Wamakko, Sokoto State. The company says that the efforts are aimed at alleviating the effects of local water scarcity and medicinal supply issues.

US: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) hosted chief executive officers (CEO)from across the global cement industry at its CEO Gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, on 9 June 2022. The event explored the best ways for the sector to progress towards net zero CO₂ emissions. Speakers included: UN special advisor on climate Selwin Hart, US Department of Energy assistant secretary for fossil energy and carbon management in the Brad Crabtree, architecture firm Gensler CEO Diane Hoskins, Chair of Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) executive chair Bjorn Otto and climate economist Gernot Wagner.

GCCA CEO Thomas Guillot said “To achieve net zero and enable the delivery of the sustainable built environment of the future, there needs to be ongoing engagement and deeper collaboration between our industry and government in the years ahead. Targeted government policy will be vital to removing barriers and to expediting our industry’s decarbonisation plans.”

Russia: Local Press has reported that Altai Cement plans to start up Kiln 2 at its Altai cement plant. When operational, the kiln will double the plant’s capacity to 2400t/day.

Canada: Progressive Planet Solutions has successfully produced a new supplementary cementitious material (SCM) called PozDE from diatomaceous earth. The company says that it developed PozDE using calcium bentonite-containing diatomaceous earth from the Red Lake mine in Kamloops, British Colombia. The SCM’s seven-day and 28-day strength activity index (SAI) values are 101% and 120% those of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) respectively, while its water demand is lower at 98%.

Chief operating officer Ian Grant said “It is uncommon to see SCMs exceed the 7-day strength of the control Portland, so we are excited to see better strength while indicating lower water demand."

Europe: The European cement association Cembureau has expressed its disappointment in the outcome of European Parliament votes on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The parliament voted against an amended proposal to introduce a carbon border tax and to phase out ETS allowances from 2028 to 2034, against a previous proposal of 2025 – 2030. Groups including The Greens – European Free Alliance voted against the proposed legislation as they believed it did not go far enough.

Cembureau chief executive officer Koen Coppenholle said “The EU cement industry needs a strong CBAM to support our decarbonisation efforts and fight carbon leakage. Both draft European Parliament texts on ETS and CBAM contain significant improvements on some key issues – such as CBAM’s watertightness or industrial innovation – which are essential to support our transition to carbon neutrality.” Coppenholle continued “We encourage MEPs to resume negotiations as soon as possible and reach a reasonable compromise on the remaining divisive issues, thereby providing a predictable regulatory framework for the industry.”