South Korea: Hanil Cement will deploy drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) for inventory management and equipment inspections at its Danyang plant, according to Chosun Biz news. 10 employees have obtained piloting qualifications to operate the drones. After a trial run, the drones will be deployed in April 2026.

The company said that the industrial drones are equipped with AI software that can recognise spaces and convert them into 3D maps, allowing the drones to fly safely in narrow indoor areas and accurately measure inventory volumes stored in warehouses. Hanil Cement said that one of the main advantages of the drones is improved safety, as they can be deployed instead of workers to inspect dusty, confined spaces and high structures, reducing the risk of asphyxiation accidents and falls. The drones can also measure pipe thickness and assess corrosion or wear during inspections. They also reportedly save time and money by eliminating the need for external inventory measurement services and temporary scaffolding for equipment inspections. Inventory checks, previously conducted once per quarter, are now carried out monthly.

A spokesperson from Hanil Cement said "The drones introduced for worker safety are also helping with efficient plant operations. We plan to gradually expand the scope of operations by adding functions such as thermal imaging to the drones and sharing them among plants.”

Nepal: State-owned Hetauda Cement Industry is facing severe financial difficulties and continues to operate intermittently, despite recently resuming clinker production after a long shutdown, according to Ratopati news. The company is reportedly burdened with debts of around US$8.2m and has not paid employees their salaries for nine months. The plant once employed around 1100 workers, but now has only 136 staff remaining, with some employees working double or triple shifts due to staff shortages.

Bhakti Ram Shrestha, deputy manager at the plant, said that the company has been struggling financially for the past three to four years and lacks funds to purchase raw materials or spare parts for damaged machinery. Rubin Majhi, who works in the ‘kiln department’, said that the plant’s ageing equipment contributes to low production levels, but that electricity costs still reach around US$244,000 per month.

Management has submitted proposals to the government, including a request for a US$1.6m loan to resume operations and repay debts, but no approvals have been granted so far.

Majhi said that the plant would need modern equipment capable of producing 2800-3000t/day of cement to become financially viable.

Saudi Arabia: Najran Cement has secured US$14m in bank financing from Saudi National Bank to support its electrical grid connection project. The financing was obtained through Shariah-compliant facilities and will be repaid over a period of two years in annual instalments, including a grace period of six months.

Najran Cement announced that it had awarded a contract for the project to Sinoma International Engineering earlier in March 2026. The project is intended to improve energy efficiency and reduce reliance on liquid fuels for power generation at its Sultana plant under the Liquid Fuel Displacement programme.

India: The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with UltraTech Cement to support skill development and capacity building in India’s construction sector. The agreement was signed by Dr L P Singh, Director General of NCB, and Rahul Goel, Head of Technical Services at UltraTech Cement, at NCB’s Ballabgarh facility. The collaboration will focus on structured training and certification programmes for civil engineers, ready-mix concrete professionals, contractors, construction workers and masons. Training programmes will cover areas including material quality testing, concrete mix design, durability and sustainable construction practices. The initiative will also include workshops, site demonstrations, technical seminars and plant visits to improve practical knowledge and technical skills.