Sri Lanka: Lanwa Sanstha Cement has successfully commissioned its 2.8Mt/yr Hambantota grinding plant in the Mirijjawila Export Processing Zone. Daily News (Sri Lanka) has reported that the facility is equipped with two bridge ship unloaders and an automated stacker reclaimer yard. It will produce the company’s full range of cements, including ordinary Portland cement (OPC), Portland composite cement (PPC) and blended hydraulic cement (BHC) catering to the rising local demand from landmark projects including the Port City and the network of expressways.

Trinindad & Tobago: The Caribbean Court of Justice has ruled against Hard Rock Cement in its challenge against Trinidad & Tobago’s 50% tariff on hydraulic cement. Nation News has reported that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) granted Trinidad & Tobago’s application to implement the new tariff in 2020. It remained in force for all of 2021. Cement importer Caribbean Cement challenged both the decision and the conduct of the application process.

New Zealand: Golden Bay Cement has obtained two hydrogen-fuelled cement trucks produced by Hyzon. TR Group leased the vehicles to the cement company.

Golden Bay Cement said “These two zero emission green trucks signal the future, and are just another step we take to a smaller carbon footprint across our business.”

Switzerland: Vigier Ciment is operating a self-charging electric dump truck at its limestone and marl quarry in Biel. The 45t truck’s regenerative braking system recharges its 600kwh lithium battery on the downhill trip from the quarry to the primary crusher. Its 65t capacity more than doubles its weight when laden, easily enabling it to recover charge for the return trip. Each trip generates an estimated 10kwh of surplus energy. In ordinary use, this would equate to 77Mwh/yr. It saves 50,000 – 100,000l/yr of diesel and eliminates an estimated 196t/yr of CO₂. Green Car Reports has reported that Kuhn Schweiz built the dump truck, based on Japan-based Komatsu’s HB model truck. It is the world’s largest electric vehicle.

Russia/Ukraine: CRH says that it has withdrawn from the Russian building materials market. It operated seven ready-mix concrete batching plants and a concrete panel plant in St Petersburg through its subsidiaries LujaBetomix and Rudus. CEO Albert Manifold estimated the group’s investments in the businesses to be Euro1.5 – 2m. RTÉ News has reported that Manifold called the operations ‘infinitesimally small,’ and said that a Russian withdrawal had previously been on the group’s radar anyway.

CRH says that it has suspended its Ukrainian operations, which reportedly generated Euro281m in sales in 2021, and continues to support its 820 employees in the country in every way it can.

Nigeria: Germany-based Kreisel is supplying an RDG 2000 rotary valve to the site of a Nigerian cement plant project. The supplier says that the RDG 2000 can provide material flow rates of 570t/hr and is one of the largest rotary valves on the market.

Jamaica: Caribbean Cement recorded revenues of US$153m in 2021, up by 19% year-on-year from US$129m in 2020. Its operating expenses rose by 6.4% to US$16m from US$15.1m. The company recorded a loss for the year of US$3.31m, just under half of the US$6.79m loss that it recorded in 2020.

US: Cemex Ventures says that it has invested in industry and construction sector on-demand delivery platform PartRunner. The startup operates a fleet of trucks which provide flexible service to warehouses, retailers and job sites across the US. Under Cemex Ventures’ guidance, it plans to expand its services to also cover Mexico.

Cemex Ventures director Gonzalo Galindo said "This solution fits perfectly with Cemex's commitment to offer our customers greater control over their businesses by improving efficiency and transparency in the delivery of construction products and materials.”

Benelux/France: Cementir Holding has introduced its Futurecem limestone calcined clay cement into the Benelux and French cement markets. Futurecem cement applies Cementir Holding’s patented processes to substitute over 35% of clinker in cement with limestone and calcined clay, preserving the cement’s strength and quality while reducing its carbon footprint by 30% compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC).

Cementir Holding previously rolled out Futurecem cement in Denmark in 2021. In 2022, it plans to launch InBind high performance concrete (HPC) and ReCover ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to expand its range of HPC and UHPCs using Futurecem technology.

Eddy Fostier, managing director of Cementir Holding’s Belgian subsidiary CCB, said “Thanks to the joint efforts of the group and CCB teams, Futurecem technology is the main pillar for CCB’s low carbon transition within the Group roadmap. This product technology is matching customer needs, highlighted through a specific survey carried out across the most relevant market areas and applications.” Fostier concluded “I’m fully convinced that Futurecem will play a relevant role in the decarbonisation of the construction industry, where cement and concrete are essential building materials both in the present and in the future.”

Pakistan: All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) members exported 405,000t of cement in February 2022, down by 34% year-on-year from 616,000t in February 2021. Domestic deliveries also dropped, by under 1% to 3.95Mt from 3.96Mt. Amid the declines, Pakistani cement producers have reported a steep rise in their costs due to increases in international freight rates and coal prices and the country’s on-going ban on trade with neighbouring India. Cheaper Iranian cement has undercut Pakistani cement sales to Bangladesh, while the Afghan market has yet to recover following the withdrawal of peacekeeping forces.