Global Cement News

UK: Germany-based Heidelberg Materials has introduced customers and investors to Heidelberg Materials UK, its UK subsidiary formerly known as Hanson UK. The latest rebrand signifies increasing collaboration across the group’s geographies as a global business with one voice. Heidelberg Materials UK will launch rebranded packaging for its cement and other products in early 2024 and transition its branding across its sites and vehicles by October 2025.

Heidelberg Materials UK CEO Simon Willis said “The construction sector faces global challenges such as climate change and the digitalisation of our industry; challenges we are better placed to meet as a strong, united group. Having a single brand name and identity sends a clear and consistent message to our increasingly global customers.” Willis added “It will allow us to work together to lead the field in driving down carbon emissions; promote the circular economy by recycling and reusing construction waste; develop digital solutions to provide added value to our customers and develop sustainable and innovative building materials.”

Uzbekistan/Qatar: Qatar National Cement has been named among businesses that have attended meetings with the Uzbekistan Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade. UzDaily News has reported that the minister is visiting Qatar for talks with his Qatari counterpart, as well as ‘large companies’ from the heavy industry, energy and food sectors. The Uzbekistan government is reportedly evaluating the prospects for joint implementation of large investment projects in priority sectors of the economy.

India: UltraTech Cement sold 26.7Mt of cement during the second quarter of the 2024 financial year (1 July – 30 September 2023). This corresponds to year-on-year growth of 16% from 23.1Mt in the second quarter of the previous financial year. Sales in India accounted for 25.7Mt (96%) of total volumes, while overseas sales accounted for 1.18Mt (4%).

UltraTech Cement has a cement capacity of 138Mt/yr across its 23 cement plants and 29 grinding units.

India: A 25-year-old man died after becoming trapped in a belt conveyor at a cement plant in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna District. The Free Press Journal newspaper has reported that the man had been working alone in the plant’s packing plant at the time of the disaster.

Multiple producers, including Birla Corporation, Century Cement, Jaypee Cements and Prism Cement, operate integrated cement plants in Satna.

US: Shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico in July 2023 came to an estimated 9.3Mt, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The figure was 2.1% lower than in July 2022, when 9.5Mt of cement was shipped. Of the total blended volume reported in July 2023, 4.9Mt (98%) was estimated to be Portland-limestone cement.

US-wide shipments for the January 2023 to July 2023 period came to 60.4Mt, a 2% decrease from 61.7Mt reported in the same period of 2022. The leading producing states for Portland and blended cement in July 2023 were, in descending order: Texas; Missouri; California; Florida; and Michigan. Together these five states accounted for 39% of all cement produced in the country during the month. The leading cement-consuming states were, in descending order: Texas; California; Florida; Georgia; and Ohio. Together these states jointly received 38% of all shipments in July 2023.