Global Cement Newsletter

Issue: GCW764 / 17 June 2026

Headlines


On 19 June 2026, Iran and the US are due to conclude a peace and reopen shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This may avert an ‘unprecedented’ global energy shock; the weeks of war since 28 February 2026 and an uncertain future hardly preclude it as a possibility, however.1, 2 Having a diverse energy mix is a possible antidote – if so, most countries are behind on their ‘jabs.’

In Pakistan, Pioneer Cement approved plans for a new 28.3MW solar power plant at its 2Mt/yr Chenki, Punjab, cement plant on 16 June 2026. The project is scheduled for commissioning later in 2026. Pakistan Business News has reported that the company will finance the Chenki solar power plant’s construction from internal cash generation. Its stated aim: to ‘generate substantial savings on electricity.’ This in a region formerly reliant on imported coal, primarily from Afghanistan. An on-going conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan reignited on 26 February 2026, leaving Punjabi cement producers with a widening energy gap. At the same time as Pakistan’s energy consumption is declining, Pioneer Cement is joining a solar power capacity-building revolution set to presently exceed daytime grid demand in ‘several industrial centres.’

Two Indian cement producers – The India Cements and parent company UltraTech Cement – concluded energy supply agreements for a total 29.7MW of wind power from wind farm developer and operator Fourth Partner Energy on 11 June 2026. The provider will supply UltraTech Cement with 15.7MW and The India Cements with 14MW of renewable power from its upcoming 75MW Karur wind farm in Tamil Nadu. The Global Cement Directory 2026 lists the India Cements’ 0.9Mt/yr Sankari cement plant in Salem district and UltraTech Cement’s Karur grinding plant as the nearest relevant cement facilities.

Energy India News has reported that other recent deals concluded by UltraTech Cement to diversify its energy supply include a 45MW captive solar power plant in Odisha with AMPIN Energy Transition and another 21MW one in Maharashtra with Sunsure Energy. In each instance, the group also acquired a stake in the respective energy partner. In the case of Fourth Partner Energy, UltraTech Cement will also acquire a 14% stake in its subsidiary FPEL Services for US$1.34m, while The India Cements will acquire 12.5% for US$1.13m.

UltraTech Cement is also in the process of decoupling its logistics from fossil fuels. On 16 June 2026, it deployed a new fleet of 45 55t-capacity electric heavy-goods vehicles into its clinker transport operations at its 4.9Mt/yr Kotputli cement plant in Rajasthan. The vehicles will supply clinker over distances of 250km to the company’s Dadri and Sikandarabad grinding plants in Delhi-National Capital Region. As a result, UltraTech Cement expects to reduce CO₂ emissions by 8900t/yr.

At the start of June 2026, Vicat announced a US$8.7m investment in electrification at its 1Mt/yr Xeuilley cement plant in France. US-based Noc Energy will electrify the preheating process in a crusher at the plant. Vicat expects this to eliminate 12,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions. The project has funding from the French Agency for Ecological Transition.

Finland-based Wärtsilä announced that it has won a contract for a fuel conversion project at a captive power plant belonging to Arabian Cement Company’s Jordanian subsidiary Qatrana Cement Company (QCC) on 17 June 2026. The plant, situated at QCC’s 1.6Mt/yr Karak cement plant, will switch over to natural gas, in order to reduce CO₂ emissions and operating costs. Wärtsilä has delivered multiple previous projects in Jordan and has been working with QCC since 2008.

In no less a petro-giant than Saudi Arabia, preparations are underway at Al Jouf Cement’s 3.5Mt/yr Turaif cement plant in Northern Borders province for connection to the national grid by early 2027, removing the need for captive generators. US-based Altec will carry out a US$7.43m design, supply and installation contract covering electrical interconnections. The project advances the Saudi Arabian government’s Liquid Fuel Displacement Programme oil-decoupling strategy.

In Spain, energy represents around 30% of operating expenditure across the cement industry, up from 21% since an April 2025 blackout and resulting reforms to energy bills. This corresponds to an additional US$104m in costs over the 14 months since. In an interview with the El Economista newspaper on 16 June 2026, industry association Oficemen CEO Elena Guede Vazquez called on the government to enact further support for Spain’s most energy-intensive companies. The cement sector has suffered the two-pronged effects of the Iran War – both in increased costs and loss of sales amidst housing and infrastructure project delays due to the same reasons. The National Confederation of Construction Industry (CNC) calculated a minimum rise in costs of 15% for its members nationally. A US$5.6bn package of new renewables funding and fossil fuels tax exemptions helped ease the pressure on 22 March 2026. Oficemen members are simultaneously working to increase their efficiency and reduce their energy consumption.

Tunisia’s Carthage Cement, which operates the 2Mt/yr Djebel Ressas cement plant in Ben Arous governorate, published its 2025 Sustainability Report on 11 June 2026. The company’s total energy consumption dropped by 12% year-on-year, to 5,300,000GJ. Specifically, its consumption of electricity contributed a 9% decline, to 588,000GJ – 11% of total energy consumption.

On 16 June 2026, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) launched a campaign to retrofit plants across nine key industries, including cement. The campaign aims to increase the share of clinker production capacity operating at efficiency benchmark levels from around 30% to around 50% by 2028. Along with other industries, this will eliminate a cumulative 200Mt of CO₂ emissions and the equivalent of 100Mt of coal consumption. The NDRC will finance 20% of the retrofit bill for eligible plants, besides additional tax incentives and ‘diversified financial products.’

Xiamen University China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy chair Lin Boqiang told the Global Times newspaper that the intention behind the campaign is emissions reduction, not energy conservation; the effect is the same. With the price gap between coal and renewables ‘gradually’ diminishing, Lin said that rising costs and policy pressure together will ‘force more energy-intensive industries to accelerate their transition to clean energy.’

From industrial heat to the humble combustion engine, cement producers are stripping out the infrastructure of the age of gas, coal, coke and diesel, and replacing it with circuitry, batteries and (increasingly) renewably-powered generators. Within the coalition driving the changes are a prominent minority of US-based start-ups, sharing their expertise in markets where investment conditions are right.

References

BBC News, ‘US and Iran agree deal to end war as Trump says Strait of Hormuz to reopen,’ 15 June 2026, www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39yvvy273ko

2 Novinite.com, ‘IEA Warns Iran War Could Trigger Unprecedented Energy Crisis,’ 23 March 2026, www.novinite.com/articles/237630/%E2%80%9CTwo+Oil+Crises+and+a+Gas+Crash%E2%80%9D+-+IEA+Warns+Iran+War+Could+Trigger+Unprecedented+Energy+Crisis


India: Shree Digvijay Cement has appointed Amit Arora as CEO and managing director from 17 June 2026 until 17 June 2031. Arora brings 20 years of industry experience, including from previous roles at ACC and Vicat Group.


US: Alternative cement developer Fortera has appointed Albert Luu as chief financial officer (CFO) and transitioned outgoing CFO Scott Healy into the newly created role of chief origination officer. The company expects the appointments to support its move from technology demonstration to commercial-scale deployment.

Scott Healy brings four decades’ senior leadership experience across various sectors. He joined Fortera in December 2022 from recycling companies Brightmark, where he served as CFO and senior vice president, and RES Polyflow, where he served as a director. Healy previously served as senior vice president of multiple companies in the renewable energy sector, including NRG Energy, Element Power and Orion Energy Group. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) from the University of Santa Clara, both in the US.

Albert Luu joins Fortera from direct air capture (DAC) company Heirloom, where was head of finance. He has two decades’ senior leadership experience, includes CFO experience from prior such roles at renewables and batteries companies Complete Solaria and Swell Energy. Before that, Luu was principal at various fintech businesses, including Lightspeed Capital, Tesla and Caelus Group. He has raised US$10bn in capital throughout his career to-date. Luu holds bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

Fortera CEO Ryan Gilliam said "Albert has navigated exactly this kind of inflection point before in industries where the path from demonstrated technology to commercial platform required an evolving strategy that attracts the necessary capital for each stage of deployment. His track record is precisely what this next chapter calls for."
Fortera operates a 15,000t/yr ReCarb CO2-sequestering alternative cement plant at Taiheiyo Cement subsidiary CalPortland’s Redding cement plant in California, US. It is developing a 0.3Mt/yr commercial plant.


UK: Holcim UK’s flagship Tilbury Cement Works has commenced import and distribution operations, according to a press release. Holcim said that the first deep-sea vessel had discharged material into the site, signalling the transition from construction to active operations and forming part of the site’s ‘wet commissioning’ programme. The new cement works combines deep-water marine access with large-scale storage, automated logistics and a modular grinding and blending system that will come online later in 2026. It will operate 24/7 and includes a new ship-to-shore conveyor system, enclosed belt conveyors and the UK’s first 30,000t cement dome silo.

Material is transferred directly from vessel to storage, before being processed and despatched through six loading heads and five weighbridges. The next milestone will be the completion and commissioning of the site’s vertical roller mill later in 2026, which will grind granulated blast furnace slag and recycled concrete fines to produce ground granulated blast furnace slag and blended cements. Full product lines will come online in early 2027. Holcim UK said that the development strengthened its network and ensured processing capacity in one of the UK’s highest demand regions.

Tim Fry, project manager at Holcim UK, said “Initiating import and distribution of cementitious materials is a major step forward for Tilbury Cement Works and for Holcim’s ability to serve customers across the South East. This phase demonstrates the strength of the systems we’ve built, from marine logistics to storage and despatch, and reflects the hard work of everyone involved in bringing this facility to life. As construction concludes in 2026 and we move into full operations, Tilbury will provide the flexibility, reliability and capacity to support our customers with a range of conventional, low carbon and circular cementitious materials.”


Jordan: Technology group Wärtsilä will carry out a fuel conversion project on a Wärtsilä engine-based captive power plant serving Qatrana Cement Company's (QCC) cement plant in Karak, reducing emissions and operating costs. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in the first quarter of 2026. The upgrade will also enable the engines to operate on sustainable fuels as and when they become available.

QCC CEO Amer Khatib said "This fuel conversion upgrade will reduce our operating costs and emissions, while relying on proven Wärtsilä technology. Our strong and long-standing partnership with Wärtsilä since 2008 provides a solid basis for delivering the project safely and professionally without disrupting cement production. This project forms part of QCC's broader strategy to increase energy efficiency and sustainability."


Pakistan: Pioneer Cement has approved the development of a 28.3MW solar power plant at its manufacturing facility in Chenki, Jauharabad, Punjab. The project will be financed entirely through the company's internal cash reserves, and aims to commence commercial operations by the end of 2026. The solar power plant is expected to reduce the company’s dependency on the national grid, which constitutes approximately 20% of the company's power mix. The total capital expenditure for the solar project is anticipated to be around US$9m.


Bolivia: Fancesa has restored its cement shipments after a period of economic uncertainty and road blockades across the country. Chair of the board Guido Calvo informed local press that between 15-16 June 2026, more than 5000t of cement were shipped, reportedly within regular averages. 15 June 2026 saw 2101t (42,020 bags) shipped, of which more than 20,000t were bound for Santa Cruz. The remainder will supply the city of Sucre. The plant’s kilns are currently shut down, and there is a stockpile of over 80,000t of clinker, enough to produce cement for the next 30 days. Scheduled maintenance for one of the kilns was planned for July 2026, but this will be brought forward.


Pakistan: Power Cement reported profits rising to US$9m in the first nine months of the 2026 financial year from US$1.25m in the same period of 2025, reportedly driven by sales growth and improved margins. This growth was largely attributed to a 61% rise in clinker exports, which was bolstered by the ongoing Middle East conflict. The sales for the period consisted of 54% local despatches and 46% exports, with exports comprising 70% clinker and 30% cement. The company also reported full capacity utilisation at its Line-III production facility, an increase from the previous year's 92%. In the domestic market, Power Cement maintained a 20% market share in southern Pakistan during the reporting period.


Saudi Arabia: Yamama Cement announced in a statement to the stock exchange that it has commenced commercial operation of its third production line (formerly Line 7), with a clinker production capacity of approximately 12,500t/day, effective 1 July 2026. The company signed a contract with China's Sinoma Overseas Development in November 2022 to relocate the seventh line from its old Riyadh plant to the new Al-Halal North site in Al-Kharj. In March 2026, the company began a three-month trial operation phase for the project.


Sweden: The EuroSlag conference 2026 has begun in Luleå, Sweden. The conference takes place from 16-18 June, with 240 delegates from 26 countries and 48 presentations. The conference will involve steel producers, slag processors, equipment providers, government and regulatory authorities, researchers and end-users of slag. Thomas Reiche from the FEhS (Institut für Baustoff-Forschung) and Christer Ryman from Swedish iron and steel producers’ association Jernkontoret officially welcomed delegates to the conference.


Indonesia/US: Taiheiyo Cement announced that SBI, an Indonesian company in which it holds an equity stake, has commenced cement exports to its US subsidiary CalPortland. The agreement with SBI was established in 2021 and included the construction of a loading jetty and silos at SBI’s Tuban plant to support the exports. The first shipment took place on 1 June 2026, with a ceremony held on 11 June 2026, attended by representatives from each company. The agreement will mean a stable supply of over 0.5Mt/yr for Taiheiyo’s US operations.


India: UltraTech Cement has announced the deployment of 45 electric heavy-duty trucks for clinker transportation in northern India. The fleet will transport clinker from UltraTech’s Kotputli plant in Rajasthan to its Dadri and Sikandarabad grinding plants in the Delhi-NCR region. The lead distance is approximately 250km, traversing Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Each vehicle in the fleet can carry 55t of clinker. The company expects the initiative to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 8900t/yr.


Philippines: McDonald’s Philippines has announced a waste management partnership with ecoloop, the resource recovery arm of Republic Cement. Plastic waste generated in McDonald’s stores will be delivered to the company’s cement plants and converted into alternative fuel for the kiln. The partnership was formed with the signing of an agreement at Republic Cement’s plant in Teresa, Rizal.


Turkmenistan: The Lebap Cement plant produced 406,000t of cement in the first quarter of 2026. This is an increase of 35,000t compared to the same period in 2025. Production growth rates are approaching 9.5%, according to local press. 2025 was one of the most profitable years in the company's history, with total production exceeding 1.5Mt.


Vietnam: Vietnam exported 3.2Mt of cement and clinker worth US$119m in May 2026, up by 8% in volume and 6% in value year-on-year, according to the latest figures from the government’s National Statistics Office (NSO).

In the first five months of 2026, Vietnam earned US$610m from exporting 16.6Mt of cement and clinker, up by 17% year-on-year in value and 17% year-on-year in volume.

In 2025, Vietnam earned US$1.37bn from exporting 37Mt of cement and clinker, up by 21% year-on-year in value and 25% year-on-year in volume.


Peru: National cement shipments rose by 5% year-on-year to 1.09Mt in May 2026, with accumulated 12-month shipments up by 11%. Cement production rose by 10% year-on-year to 1.03Mt in May 2026, with accumulated 12-month production up by 9%. Clinker production fell by 4% year-on-year to 0.8Mt, while accumulated 12-month production rose by 4%. Cement exports rose by 60% year-on-year to 12,699t in May 2026, with accumulated 12-month exports up by 8%. Clinker exports fell by 1% year-on-year to 69,925t, and accumulated 12-month exports rose by 59%.

Cement imports rose to 75,529t in May 2026, with accumulated 12-month imports up by 45%, arriving via the port of Chancay from Vietnam (80%), the port of Matarani from Vietnam (7%) and the Tacna land terminal from Chile (13%). Clinker imports fell by 11% year-on-year to 78,575t, with accumulated 12-month imports up by 29%, arriving via the port of Callao from Korea (56%) and the port of Callao from Ecuador (44%).


Zimbabwe: PPC Zimbabwe recorded sales of US$216m in the 2026 financial year, up by 14% year-on-year. Its trading profit rose by 20% to US$46.1m. Cement sales volumes rose by 8%, bolstered by parent company PCC’s Awaken Giant growth strategy for Southern Africa. PPC Zimbabwe closed the year debt-free, with US$8.43m in unrestricted cash, up by 18% year-on-year.

CEO Matias Cardarelli said the results "demonstrate the scale of value that can be unlocked in a well-run PPC,” noting the group's “stronger, more competitive” position, despite a “stagnant” operating environment.


Tunisia: Carthage Cement has published its 2025 Sustainability Report. L'Economiste Maghrébin newspaper has reported that the producer’s total energy consumption fell by 12% year-on-year to 5,300,000GJ. Thermal consumption declined by 12% to 4,720,000GJ, while electricity consumption declined by 9% to 588,000GJ. Raw materials consumption was 1.5t/t of cement produced. As a result, extraction volumes declines by 12%, to 4.09Mt.


Argentina: Molins subsidiary Cementos Avellaneda has acquired a 70% stake in construction products company Prokrete Argentina. Protex's prior owners will remain as minority shareholders with board representation. Protex produces waterproofing products, sealants, additives, adhesives, coatings and industrial paints, and also owns assets in the mining, energy and heavy industry sectors.


US: CO2-sequestering alternative cement developer CarbonCure and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Masic Lab have published a study establishing a new chemomechanical framework for CO2 mineralisation in cement. The study found that early-age CO2 injection fundamentally reroutes cement hydration by introducing a transient reactive silica gel phase. This phase templates a more homogeneous calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH) microstructure and increases 24-hour compressive strength compared to reference samples.

The study concluded that mechanical gains in CO2-activated systems are not solely attributable to the pore-filling effect of nanocarbonates, but are ‘significantly’ driven by alteration of the hydration sequence. As such, the researchers advised that the optimisation CO2 utilisation technologies should focus on controlling the kinetics of silica gel generation and consumption as well as the degree of carbonate formation.


Canada: ThyssenKrupp Calvion has signed two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with TKMS and US-based Heirloom Carbon Technologies to advance large-scale direct air capture (DAC) in Alberta. The collaborations will pair ThyssenKrupp Calvion’s calcination with Heirloom's limestone-based DAC method, alongside CO₂ purification and compression technologies from the wider ThyssenKrupp group. ThyssenKrupp Calvion will also develop a carbon capture calciner based on its Oxyfuel technology.
Heirloom head of commercialisation Max Scholten said "Canada's natural resource base, workforce and technical capacity are a compelling foundation for carbon removal research, development and large-scale deployment. The synergy of our partnership with ThyssenKrupp Calvion lays the foundation for investments that remove carbon, produce low-carbon fuels, create durable jobs, and cement Canada's place in a decarbonising global marketplace."


UK: Spirit Energy, part of Centrica, has announced the Morecambe Net Zero (MNZ) Peak Cluster development - the world’s largest cement decarbonisation project - has successfully entered the ‘Assess Phase’ of its permit application to store CO2 in the depleted North and South Morecambe fields in the east of the Irish Sea. It follows three years of ‘intense’ work from Spirit’s subsurface, wells, projects, health and safety, commercial and engineering teams, including new high resolution 3D seismic acquisition and advanced 3D seismic imaging of the Morecambe fields to conclusively demonstrate their suitability to store approximately 1Bnt of CO2.

Working with its Peak Cluster partners, MNZ Peak Cluster will transport 3Mt/yr of CO2 from three cement plants – Breedon’s Hope plant, Tarmac’s Tunstead plant, and Holcim UK’s Cauldon plant – as well as from a lime plant operated by Tarmac.

Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea said "This takes us another step closer to delivering one of the UK’s most important infrastructure projects, protecting 13,000 jobs and contributing billions of pounds to the UK economy while cutting emissions at scale. By repurposing the Morecambe fields for carbon storage, we can put existing infrastructure to work again, helping secure the future of essential British industry while making real progress towards net zero.”


Brazil: Three China-based cement producers: Anhui Conch, Huaxin Building Materials and Sinoma, have now entered the race to purchase CSN Cimentos from Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), along with local market leader Votorantim. Heavily-indebted CSN expects to raise US$3.0-3.6bn from the sale of its cement production arm.

Local observers state that Votorantim will face difficulties acquiring its largest competitor. It is therefore expected to bid through a consortium with partners rather than alone. A foreign buyer with no existing Brazilian cement plants faces no such issue, which gives the Chinese groups a cleaner path to approval.

CSN has signalled that it wants the cement sale, and a separate disposal of a stake in its logistics arm, to be concluded by the end of September 2026 and that it will pay the proceeds directly into its near US$8bn of debt. Any deal will still need clearance from Brazil’s competition authority, but the timeline will vary depending on whether the buyer is domestic or foreign-owned.


India: UltraTech Cement has entered into an energy supply agreement and a share subscription and shareholders agreement to acquire a 13.99% equity stake in FPEL Services, a company engaged in the generation and transmission of renewable energy from wind. It will pay US$1.34m for the stake. Ultratech said that the acquisition will help it to meet its renewable energy requirements, optimise its energy costs and allow it to comply with regulatory requirements for captive power consumption under relevant electricity laws.

Separately, The India Cements, a subsidiary of UltraTech Cement, has also entered into similar agreements to acquire a 12.48% equity stake in FPEL Services for US$1.13m. The transactions are expected to be completed within 180 days from the execution of the energy supply agreement and the share subscription and shareholders agreement.


South Africa: Afrimat has announced that it has sold certain aggregates quarries and ready-mix concrete plants across South Africa for US$13.0m to Saturc. The sale forms part of a condition for Afrimat's acquisition of Lafarge South Africa Holdings, part of Holcim subsidiary Caricement, for US$6m in April 2024. Afrimat also agreed to repay a US$54.4m loan owed by Lafarge South Africa to Caricement.

The disposal is effective as of 8 June 2026 and will close on 1 July 2026.


Spain: Mexico-based multinational cement producer Cemex has renewed its ISO 50001 energy management certification for 100% of its plants in Spain, including its facilities in Alicante, Alcanar (Tarragona), Morata de Jalón (Zaragoza), and Castillejo (Toledo), for another three years. This ISO standard is the most widely used worldwide for optimising energy use, reducing costs and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

The initiative is part of the company’s Future in Action roadmap, which focuses on the decarbonisation of processes and the development of innovative solutions with a lower environmental impact, such as cement and concrete with lower clinker content, the use of alternative fuels and a commitment to the circular economy.