Global Cement News

Tanzania/Kenya: Amsons Group will build a US$320m cement plant in northern Tanzania's Tanga area with a production capacity of 5,000t/day, Bloomberg reports. The company also plans to implement a major upgrade at the recently acquired Mbeya Cement in Tanzania, including a new grinding mill, according to Capital News Kenya. Additionally, Amsons plans to invest US$400m in Holcim’s Kenyan subsidiary Bamburi Cement, contingent on its successful US$180m bid.

Edha Nahdi, managing director at Amsons Group, said "Thanks to the support of the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments, our regional expansion plans are now firmly on course. We plan to be one of the largest cement manufacturers in Kenya and Tanzania by 2030."

US: Summit Materials has announced a 50% year-on-year increase in net revenue to US$1.11bn for the third quarter of 2024, attributed largely to the acquisition of Argos US. The company's operating income rose by 52% in the third quarter to US$195m. Despite these gains, net income decreased to US$105m from US$230m in the same period in 2023. Adjusted earnings by interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the quarter increased by 51% to US$314.7m, reflecting contributions from the Argos US assets, pricing gains and operational improvements.

The cement segment saw net revenues rise to US$323m. However, organic sales volumes fell by 11% due to adverse weather and moderating demand, leading to lower imported volumes. For the full year 2024, Summit has adjusted its EBITDA forecast to between US$970m and US$1bn and expects capital expenditures to be between US$390m and US$410m.

North Macedonia: Cementarnica Usje, a subsidiary of Titan, reported a 40% year-on-year increase in net profit to US$26.5m for the January - September 2024 period. The company's total operating revenues remained stable compared to 2023’s figures at approximately US$79.7m, while its total operating expenses decreased by 12% year-on-year to around US$50.9m, according to its financial statement.

Canada: Lafarge Canada has selected ABB to update the process control system at its Bath cement plant in Kingston, Ontario. ABB will supply, commission and support its ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system, which aims to enhance plant process visibility and control. The Bath plant produces over 1Mt/yr of OneCem low-carbon cement and is the site of a pilot carbon capture project.

Andrew Stewart, vice president of cement at Lafarge Canada, said "We are dedicated to advancing sustainable construction, not least through rigorous decarbonisation efforts. From working with ABB to upgrade our process control system, to integrating low-carbon fuels and upgrading to energy-efficient kiln technology, we are significantly leading the way in sustainable construction by reducing our carbon emissions per tonne of cement produced. For example, our pilot carbon capture initiative with Hyperion has also been critical, as it leverages innovative processes to capture and sequester CO₂, bringing us closer to our goal of net-zero emissions."

India: Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA) India has entered talks with UK-based Xynteo and the Build Ahead coalition to scale up decarbonisation in India’s construction sector. The partners have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote low-carbon cement and concrete usage. This two-year collaboration will develop emission thresholds for cement and concrete as a basis for future policy on production and use of low-carbon materials. The initiative will also include joint governmental engagement and the sharing of research for low-carbon building materials.

Deepak Khetrapal, GCCA India co-chair and Orient Cement managing director, said "The reduction of clinker factor and the increasing use of supplementary cementitious materials in cement manufacturing is an important decarbonisation lever for the industry. Developing an India-specific definition for ‘low-carbon’ or ‘green’ cement and concrete is the need of the hour, and it is crucial for the development of a net zero CO₂ roadmap for the Indian cement and concrete industry."