Global Cement News

Argentina: Cement consumption reached 0.88Mt in July 2025, a 10% increase compared to June 2025, although it remained 3% lower than July 2024, according to data from the Asociación de Fabricantes de Cemento Portland (AFCP). Despatches totalled 0.89Mt, down by 3% year-on-year but up by 9% month-on-month.

Exports fell to 3502t in July 2025 from 5250t in June 2025, while imports increased to 312t from 147t the previous month. Accumulated consumption for the first seven months of 2025 stood at 5.66Mt, up by 10% from the same period in 2024. Despatches for the first seven months of 2025 reached 5.70Mt, marking a 10% increase year-on-year.

Saudi Arabia: City Cement says that the Capital Market Authority (CMA) has declined to approve its proposed acquisition of Umm Al Qura Cement. The decision was reportedly due to a lack of certain regulatory requirements. In a market statement City Cement said that it was committed to full regulatory compliance and would consider its options regarding resubmitting the offer.

City Cement announced in late 2022 that it was preparing to buy Umm Al Qura Cement. It then started taking action towards the transaction in late 2024 onwards.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement says it started using an artificial intelligence-based (AI) ship allocation optimisation system in May 2025. Software company Grid provided the technology for the project. The companies say that this is the first such application in the domestic cement industry.

The new ship allocation system analyses large volumess of transportation data and generates optimal ship allocation plans while considering various constraints. It is intended to: reduce transportation costs such as fuel; optimise courses and loading efficiency, with an expected 10% reduction of fuel consumption at the planning stage; enhance inventory management; and reduce planning time by more than 50% compared to manual planning methods.

Norway: thyssenkrupp Polysius will supply the kiln system for SMA Mineral’s quicklime plant, designed to operate without CO₂ emissions using SaltX’s electric calcination technology. The pilot facility is scheduled for completion in 2027, and will produce 40,000t/yr of quicklime. The project has received €24m in funding from Norwegian state enterprise Enova.

thyssenkrupp Polysius CEO Christian Myland said “We are proud to contribute to this landmark project that sets a new standard for sustainable lime production. Our collaboration with SMA Mineral and SaltX Technology demonstrates how industrial partnerships can accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions. This project is a testament to our commitment to engineering solutions that drive decarbonisation.”

The partnership between SaltX Technology and thyssenkrupp Polysius follows the signing of a Letter of Intent in February 2025.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos announced a US$54.5m investment in the state of Mato Grosso, covering expansions and modernisation at its Cuiabá and Nobres plants. Construction will begin in 2025 and finish by late 2026, creating over 150 direct and indirect jobs in the state while retaining more than 700 existing positions.

At Nobres, a new cement mill will boost capacity by 60% from 0.75Mt/yr to 1.2Mt/yr, and the expansion will also add a new storage warehouse and logistics infrastructure. Votorantim Cimentos’ sustainable waste management arm, Verdera, will install a used tyre shredding facility at the Cuiabá site, supplying its kilns with co-processed fuel.

Global CEO Osvaldo Ayres Filho said the investments will “Increase our competitiveness and our production and storage capacity, and improve our efficiency to better serve our customers and the consumer market, while also reducing CO₂ emissions.”

The expansions are part of a comprehensive investment programme by the company, focused on modernisation, capacity growth, competitiveness and decarbonisation. Announced in early 2024, the plan includes US$909m in investments to be deployed by 2028.