Poland: Lafarge Poland delivered over 0.2Mm³ of ready-mix concrete (RMX) in 2018 for use in various infrastructure initiatives including road expansion projects. In 2019 the company plans to produce 0.32Mm² of concrete surfacing for a motorway extension. The subsidiary of LafargeHolcim set up its LH Engineering business in 2017 to help implement infrastructure projects. It offers engineering services and the delivery of building materials, including RMX, aggregates and other products.

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) forecasts that cement consumption will grow by 2.3% year-on-year in 2019. It is a slight drop from the rate of 2.6% it previously forecast in November 2018.

“While there are several phenomena that confront the economy in the next two years, the PCA believes the economy is strong,” said Ed Sullivan, PCA Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. He added that rising interest rates are expected to drag on economic growth, leading to a slowdown in private construction. Cement consumption is expected to slow as a result.

The PCA also said in its Spring Forecast that rising state deficits had forced many states to adjust budgets, reduce costs, and re-prioritise spending. Infrastructure spending had been falling in priority as a consequence. In the medium term the PCA expects cement consumption growth to soften until 2021. It then thinks that President Donald Trump’s supplemental infrastructure initiative will arrive in 2022 leading back to increased cement consumption.

Germany: Cemex has received certification from the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC) certification for five of its ready-mix concrete (RMX) plants in Berlin and Potsdam. The CSC acts as a certification system, grading building materials facilities on environmental, social and governance practices throughout supply chains. The auditing was conducted by Kiwa Deutschland, an independent certification body recognised by the CSC.

Italy: The Legislative Assembly of Umbria has approved a motion to preserve Cemitaly’s Spoleto cement plant. Guidelines presented by various political parties have also called on the Ministry of Economic Development to help cordinate the relaunch of the plant, according to the La Nazione newspaper. HeidelbergCement’s subsidiary Italcementi acquired Cementir and the Spoleto plant in 2017. In February 2019 unions at the unit were told that the cement producer was selling the plant to the newly created company Spoleto Cementir.