Uruguay: Uruguay produced 27% less cement in 2023 than in 2022. Prensa Latina News has reported that state-owned Ancap, which operates two of the country’s four cement plants, reported a year-on-year drop in production of 29%, to 21,700t, in December 2023. The company’s least productive month in terms of volumes was June 2023, when it recorded 8570t.

France: CRH subsidiary Eqiom has commenced the first phase of its K6 decarbonisation project at its Lumbres cement plant in Hauts-de-France. In this phase, the producer will build a new production line that uses alternative fuels. This will reduce the plant’s specific CO₂ emissions per tonne of clinker by 20%. Eqiom says that this will pave the way for future carbon capture efforts at the plant, with a view to achieving net zero CO₂ clinker production.

France: Vicat recorded consolidated sales of Euro3.94bn in 2023, up by 8% year-on-year from Euro3.64bn in 2022. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were Euro740m, up by 30% from Euro570m. The producer's energy costs declined by 10% to Euro596m. Vicat noted ‘strong’ growth in sales across all regions except Kazakhstan and India, and in earnings in the US. Its cement volumes rose by 6.3% overall, but contracted in Egypt, France, Senegal and Switzerland.

Mexico: Holcim México will invest US$55m in the construction of a new cement mill at its Macuspana plant in Tabasco state. The producer says that the mill will increase the plant's cement capacity by 50% to 1.5Mt/yr. This will lead to an increase in the plant’s total workforce to 300 people.

General director Jaime Hill said "This investment in Tabasco reflects our firm conviction in the potential of the Mexican southeast and our commitment to the sustainable development of the region. Through this expansion, we will not only increase our capacity to supply the states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, but also reinforce our role in the decarbonisation of the construction industry, offering low-emission products like our cements from the ECOPlanet range."