Global Cement Newsletter

Issue: GCW732 / 22 October 2025

Headlines


The Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt met with representatives of the cement sector last week to discuss the local market. The key topics were prices, increased production capacity and restarting suspended production lines. Then this week it was revealed that the government was preparing to issue two new cement plant licences by the end of 2025. So, what’s been happening in the local sector?

Readers may recall that the Egyptian government tackled overcapacity issues by way of cement production quotas back in 2021. This solved the immediate problems at the time but, since then, there has been a growing problem with local producers focusing on export markets to the detriment of the domestic market. For example, there was a shortage of cement reported in mid-2024 due to a shortage of trucks. Large quantities of these were being used, it transpired, to transport cement to neighbouring Libya. For more on this read Global Cement Weekly #760.

The price of cement peaked earlier in 2025. At this point the government took action by limiting cement exports to no more than 30% of a company’s production volume and by abolishing the quota system. It later reviewed the status of eight idle production lines in an effort to get them running again. Prices subsequently eased according to local media reports. Before the changes, the Cement Division of the Federation of Egyptian Industries said that the country had a production capacity of 76Mt/yr from 46 lines. Domestic consumption was estimated at 46Mt/yr and exports at 20Mt/yr giving a utilisation rate 87%. Note that this export figure is 30% of the total production of the country as a whole. For the first half of 2025, production increased by 24% year-on-year to 30.7Mt from 24Mt in the same period in 2024. Exports rose by 11.5% to 9.7Mt from 8.7Mt. However, data from Al Arabiya Business shows that exports fell by 25% in May and June 2025 following the government action. Production grew by 16%.

Vicat’s financial report for the first half of 2025 reported that export sales volumes in Egypt represented over 50% of the local subsidiary’s total sales volumes. It also noted that the domestic price surpassed the export price during the reporting period. Titan Group said that its local business had experienced an ‘impressive turnaround’ due to a construction boom in the country. It said that its plants operated at ‘high capacity’ with an alternative fuels (AF) thermal substitution rate of around 40%. It added that it was intending to expand storage capacity to support growing export volumes. By contrast, Cementir endured a tougher trading period due, in part, to less exports following technical problems related to the restart of a local production line.

A source quoted by Al Arabiya from the Export Council for Building Materials noted that there had been a ‘significant’ decline in exports to several major markets, including Libya, Lebanon, the US, Ivory Coast and Ghana. That anonymous source also warned that, if the problem with the domestic market could not be resolved quickly, then the sector risked losing export markets where reconstruction work was taking place. These comments were mirrored by Adam Khalil, a Building Materials Sector Analyst at Al Ahly Pharos Securities, who told local media this week that the anticipated reconstruction of Gaza presented benefits for Egypt-based construction and building materials companies. In particular, he noted the proximity of Sinai Cement to the Gaza Strip. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the latest ceasefire between Gaza and Israel appears to have been breached.

The other part of the government action has been focusing on increasing AF substitution rates. At the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister this month the stated aim was to reduce production cuts. To this end, a report on the number of waste recycling plants was reviewed and compared to the requirements of each cement plant. The government intends to set up ‘practical implementation mechanisms’ to maximise the usage of AF. Energy sources have been a particular bugbear for the cement sector in Egypt historically as the government has encouraged producers to switch fuels from time to time.

The wider economy in Egypt continues to face headwinds. Cementir, for example, in its half year report said that the country’s economy was “...being held back by high inflation, devaluation, rising energy costs, pressure on manufacturing industries and a revision of the state budget with the suspension of infrastructure projects.” However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgraded its growth forecast for Egypt in 2025 and 2026 in mid-October 2025. The decision by the government to cap exports of cement and cut the production quota marks a serious change since 2021. It is clearly watching the situation closely. The timing from roughly in the middle of the year should make the effects clear to see in the annual reports in early 2026. We will wait until then.


Canada: Progressive Planet Solutions has hired Japan-based independent technical consultant Gerhard Albrecht. Albrecht’s work for Progressive Planet Solutions will focus on issues around the increased water demand of cement replacement by pozzolanic materials.

Albrecht has created over one hundred patents and appeared in more than 30 papers during his career as Vice President at Germany-based BASF Construction Solutions from 2006 to 2017. He previously held senior research positions at Degussa Construction Chemicals and SKW Trostberg. Albrecht holds a PhD in polymer science from Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Germany.


Mexico: GCC reported sales of US$1.05bn in the first nine months of 2025, up by 2% year-on-year from US$1.03bn. The company’s US sales rose by 8% year-on-year to US$784m, while sales in Mexico fell by 13% to US$265m. Cost of sales rose by 9% year-on-year, resulting in earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$349m.

CEO Enrique Escalante said “While the third quarter of 2025 unfolded in a mixed environment, GCC executed with discipline and delivered revenue growth, underpinned by strong performance in our US concrete business.” Looking ahead to the current, fourth quarter of 2025, Escalante said “Our focus remains on rigorous cost control, plant reliability and investing to strengthen our network, supporting our long-term strategy to compound value into 2026.”


India: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has directed the initiation of insolvency proceedings against Jaiprakash Associates subsidiary Bhilai Jaypee Cement over debts owed to coal supplier Sidhgiri Holdings, amounting to US$5.12m. News18 News has reported that the NCLT has suspended the company’s board and appointed an interim resolution professional.

Sidhgiri Holdings sent a statutory demand notice in June 2024 over three partly-paid purchase orders for 6000t of coal between September 2021 and June 2022. The principal amount is US$3.43m, with US$1.74m in interest accrued.

Bhilai Jaypee Cement contested the insolvency plea, claiming that Sidhgiri Holdings filed it with an intent of recovery, because Bhilai Jaypee Cement is solvent.


US: Amrize has joined the American Cement Association (ACA), underscoring its commitment to advance the US building industry, according to the producer. Amrize Building Materials President Jaime Hill specified ‘American ingenuity, innovation, advanced production and jobs’ as areas for collaboration in the association.

ACA President and CEO Mike Ireland said "We are thrilled that Amrize has joined the ACA and will be contributing to our efforts to advance this industry's mission and objectives in the USA. From companies operating numerous plants, to those with one or two cement facilities — our shared goal is to produce the best materials America can provide."

The ACA’s existing members are committed to full decarbonisation by 2050. Amrize has yet to publish a sustainability strategy since its spin-off from Switzerland-based Holcim on 23 June 2025.


Canada: Progressive Planet Solutions has launched a new supplementary cementitious material (SCM) called Gladiator SCM. The company developed Gladiator SCM using its PozGlass recycled glass-based SCM with other more abundant materials. The company says that it has supplied a sample to a global cement producer for evaluation.


Asia: South East Asia's regional cement association, the ASEAN Federation of Cement Manufacturers (AFCM), has launched its AFCM 2035 Roadmap at its 46th Council Meeting at the Rizqun International Hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. Under the roadmap, AFCM members will achieve a cumulative 38Mt reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2035. Efforts will unfold under four priority areas: promoting low-carbon cement, advancing the energy transition, maximising supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and adopting deep decarbonisation technologies. The council meeting served the members to help align their strategies, including through the proposed establishment of a unified emissions reporting system.


India: Ambuja Cements has placed a US$100m order for seven 19,000dwt bulk carriers from China-based Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding. The Economic Times newspaper has reported that the vessels will serve logistics operations at the company’s 6.1Mt/yr Sanghi Cement plant in Gujarat.


US: Researchers at Princeton University have developed cementitious composites with 17-times greater toughness and 19-times greater ductility than ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The materials are laser-processed into a grooved structure and laminated with elastomeric polyvinyl siloxane interlayers. The design is inspired by the nacre inner lining of seashells, also known as mother-of-pearl. This results in the toughening mechanisms of interlayer deformation, tortuous crack propagation and crack bridging. The composites have fracture toughness of 73.7MPa.mm1/2, without any reduction in strength compared to OPC.


Switzerland: Measurements specialist ABB has published a new study about industrial downtime. The company, together with Sapio Research, surveyed 3600 senior decision-makers across various industries, including cement. The study showed that 44% of leaders experience equipment-related interruptions at least monthly and 14% at least weekly. Of those experiencing weekly interruptions, just 20% have a proactive modernisation strategy. A majority of respondents estimate the cost of these interruptions at US$10,000 – US$500,000/hr; 7% believe it is higher. 67% have upgraded their motors or drives in the past two years, and 55% plan to do so. Cost remains the top barrier to modernisation for 28% of industrial players.

ABB Motion Services Modernisation Programme Head Oswald Deuchar said "Unplanned downtime is costing industry up to half a million US Dollars per hour – yet one in three businesses hasn't modernised their motor-driven systems in the last two years. That's more than a missed opportunity, it's a silent crisis. Our research shows that those who shift from reactive firefighting to forward-looking life-cycle strategies experience fewer failures and greater resilience. A key challenge, though, remains in justifying the up-front investment.”


Türkiye: OYAK Çimento held a graduation ceremony for the first cohort of engineers to complete its CemStart Engineer Development Programme at the end of September 2025. The six-month programme trains new engineering graduates for careers in cement through plant and project placements.


India: Aditya Birla Group subsidiary UltraTech Cement’s revenues grew by 21% year-on-year to US$2.33bn in the second quarter of the 2026 financial year. ET Now News has reported that the producer’s profit was US$148m, up by 75% year-on-year. During the quarter, UltraTech Cement’s costs rose by US$2.28/t, contributing towards a 45% quarter-on-quarter drop in its net profit.

In the 2026 financial year to-date, UltraTech Cement acquired a 76% stake in fellow producer The India Cements and acquired putty producer Birla White Wallcare outright.


India: Dalmia Bharat recorded sales of US$849m in the first half of the 2026 financial year, which began on 1 April 2026. This corresponds to a year-on-year rise of 5%. The producer also increased its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), by 43%. As a result, its profit after tax more than tripled to US$76.4m.

During the first half of the 2026 financial year, Dalmia Bharat sold 13.9Mt of cement, down by 2% year-on-year from 14.1Mt in the first half of the 2025 financial year.


India: Aditya Birla Group subsidiary UltraTech Cement will invest US$1.23bn to grow its cement production capacity by 10% to 241Mt/yr. The company’s board has approved new plant projects and expansions amounting to 22.8Mt/yr of additional capacity, scheduled to begin coming online from the start of the 2028 financial year on 1 April 2027.

Chair Kumar Mangalam Birla said “The latest capacity expansion follows US$5.69bn invested in the past five years. The investment reflects the company’s confidence in the Indian economy and the scale of its infrastructure ambitions. When capital is deployed strategically, it energises ecosystems, deepens industrial linkages and creates durable employment. As India enters a transformative era of infrastructure and economic development, UltraTech is well-positioned to meet the rising demand for cement.”


Australia: Boral has applied to extend its Montrose quarry in Victoria. The Star Mail newspaper reported that the company proposes to expand the quarry’s extraction area by 12.5ha, allowing access to a further 20Mt of additional materials, equivalent to 30 years’ supply for Boral’s local operations.


North Korea: State-owned Komusan Cement has successfully deployed alternative raw materials derived from quarry overburden in cement production at its Komusan cement plant in Hamgyŏng Province. State-run Korean News has reported that the producer presented the resulting products at a provincial building materials exhibition.

The Komusan cement plant reportedly had ‘decades-worth’ of overburden in stockpiles, but previously lacked the equipment to properly process it.


Norway/Germany: Heidelberg Materials has officially launched its evoZero product, which the company claims to be the world's first ‘carbon-captured cement,’ to customers across Europe. evoZero is a globally unique product, made possible by carbon capture technology at Heidelberg Materials' CCS plant in Brevik, Norway. The product comes with a uniquely low Global Warming Potential, delivered via a process that is now fully third-party verified by DNV Business Assurance Germany and digitally traceable to ensure seamless transparency.

One of the very first deliveries of evoZero was to the construction of the new Skøyen Station in Oslo, Norway. Another early project for evoZero is the DREIHAUS 3D-printing project, with a total of three houses currently being developed in Heidelberg, Germany. Compared to traditional construction methods, the 3D printing process enables significantly reduced material consumption through optimised design, further reducing CO₂ emissions.
Dominik von Achten, CEO of Heidelberg Materials, said "I am proud and excited to announce that the entire process chain is now established and our Brevik CCS facility is directly contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions in the built environment. evoZero stands as proof of Heidelberg Materials' commitment to real, measurable decarbonisation and our ambition to lead the transformation of construction.”


Indonesia: Cement production in Indonesia fell by 8.0% year-on-year in September 2025 compared to September 2024. Volumes fell from 6.24Mt to 5.74Mt, according to data from the Asosiasi Semen Indonesia (ASI). Blended cement accounted for 4.10Mt (71% of production), with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) accounting for 1.64Mt (29%).

The nation’s cement producers sold 6Mt of cement in September 2025, 1.3% less than the 6.07Mt sold in the same month of 2024. All regions of the country experienced a decline in sales, with the sole exception of Bali-Nustra, which noted a 16.3% rise in despatches.

The biggest regional market, Java, saw despatches slip by 0.3% to 3.11Mt from 3.12Mt in September 2024. The next biggest region, Sumatra, saw a fall of 3.5%, from 1.36Mt to 1.31Mt. Despatches in the third-largest market of Sulawesi were down by 2.2% from 0.49Mt 0.48Mt.

In partial compensation for falling domestic sales, cement exports rose by 11.0% in September 2025 relative to a year earlier. Volumes rose from 90,400t to 100,350t. Top export markets, in descending order by volume, were East Timor, followed by the Maldives, the Philippines, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea. Small amounts of clinker were also exported, primarily to Bangladesh, Taiwan, Angola, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Mozambique.


Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement has announced that its revenue for the third quarter of 2025 has grown, principally due to increased sales volumes. The company’s revenue for the period rose by 21% year-on-year to US$34.0m. Sales volumes grew by 13% to 0.70Mt.

For the nine months that ended on 30 September 2025, Steppe Cement saw its revenues rise by 28% year-on-year to US$74.9m. Total sales volumes came to 1.55Mt, 15.7% higher than the 1.34Mt sold in the first nine months of 2024.

Steppe Cement’s CEO Javier del Ser Perez said "During the first nine months of 2025, the company has achieved record production volumes of clinker and cement, exceeding the results of any comparable period in previous years. The plant continues to increase production and remains focused on driving further growth whilst limiting the capex required."

Steppe Cement estimates that total cement demand for 2025 in Kazakhstan will be 13Mt, with the group's market share expected to stay at 14 - 15%.


Philippines: The Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) has welcomed the government’s move to impose a temporary safeguard duty of US$6.00/t on two kinds of imported cement as a measure to strengthen the local industry. In a statement on 16 October 2025 CeMAP said it ‘respects the decision’ of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to adopt the recommended measures of the Tariff Commission (TC). CeMAP had hoped that the duty, which will apply for three years, would have been higher.

The DTI earlier found a causal link between the increased imports of cement products and the serious injury to the domestic industry. This was later confirmed by the TC. In its report to the DTI, the TC said the safeguard duty is the difference between the weighted average store price of imported cement and the weighted average selling price of locally-made cement during 2024.


Europe: The European cement association Cembureau has unveiled its new identity – Cement Europe. The association said that the strategic rebrand reflect a clear evolution: building on a solid legacy to position Cement Europe as a partner driving Europe’s competitiveness and climate neutrality. 200 plants and more than 120 innovation projects are part of the association.

President of Cement Europe Jon Morrish said “Cement has always been the foundation on which Europe builds. Our new identity honours that reliability, while reflecting who we are today: a sector powering change through innovation, circularity and partnership. Cement Europe stands for strength with purpose, helping Europe build its competitive, sustainable future.”

The rebrand coincides with the launch of the Cement Action Plan, a strategic framework outlining policies to unlock investment in industrial decarbonisation while maintaining European competitiveness. The plan highlights how cement can continue to support Europe’s growth while cutting emissions in line with the sector’s Net Zero Roadmap.


UK: Cemex UK has launched its partnership with The Pallet LOOP, with the first load of LOOP’s reusable pallets carrying Rugby Cement products from the company’s plant in Rugby. The FSC-certified pallets are designed for multiple trips and are supported by a national collection service offering customers €2.30–€4.61 for each pallet returned. The Pallet LOOP offers €2.30 for pallets that are damaged or dirty but repairable, and €4.61 for those returned in good condition. Cemex is the first cement producer to adopt the system.

The national sales manager for bagged cement at Cemex UK, Vicki Elliott, said “The Pallet LOOP’s business model mirrors our commitment to circularity with its award-winning reuse scheme. For decades, wasted and abandoned wood pallets have posed a real challenge across the supply chain. It is great to see such a fresh and dynamic approach effectively tackling the long-standing issue of single-use pallets. We look forward to expanding the service across the full Cemex portfolio in future roll outs.”

Managing director at The Pallet LOOP Andy Williamson said "The departure of the first load of Rugby Cement products on our LOOP pallets is another major milestone for us, for Cemex and for the wider building materials sector. By rewarding customers for every pallet they return, we’re making sustainability pay - helping companies in the construction industry lower costs while also reducing waste and their carbon footprint."


Egypt: The government will issue two new cement plant licences before the end of 2025 to stabilise domestic prices and boost capacity to meet growing regional demand, according to Zawya news. The plan follows a recent meeting between cement producers and industry minister Kamel El-Wazir.

An unnamed official said “The two permits are expected to be released before the end of 2025, as each licence will include its own production line.”

The two plants will reportedly add 1.5-2Mt/yr to Egypt’s cement output. National demand is projected to rise to 52Mt by the end of 2025, up from 47Mt in 2024.


Morocco: Ciments du Maroc has reached a milestone in its ALGACEM initiative with the first delivery of CO₂-derived products under the ALGACE brand from its Safi cement plant. The pilot project captures and recovers CO₂ using microalgae, transforming the carbon captured during the cement production process into bioproducts.

The company said the result confirms the technical and economic feasibility of the project and its compatibility with existing industrial infrastructure, laying the groundwork for a reproducible model for the wider cement sector.


Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan: The head of Kazakhstan’s Cement and Concrete Producers Association (QazCem), Erbol Akimbayev, has claimed that Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers issued a confidential order in July 2025 that disrupted cement exports from Kazakhstan, ‘severely impacting’ bilateral trade.

Akimbayev alleged that the document requires Kazakh exporters to declare cement at a price 10 times higher than normal and pay taxes accordingly, making exports unprofitable, according to local press.

Akimbayev said “As a result, in August 2025, imports of Kazakh cement to Uzbekistan dropped to zero for the first time in seven years. At that price, no one in Uzbekistan will buy it. But if Uzbekistan acts this way, Kazakhstan has every right to introduce reciprocal measures.”

He added that the association is in discussions with government bodies and industry partners, warning that reciprocal measures could lead to a fall in imports from Uzbekistan. He suggested that Uzbekistan is seeking to protect its domestic producers amid market oversupply ‘by any means necessary.’