Germany: Heidelberg Materials will stop producing clinker at its 700,000t/yr Hanover cement plant in Lower Saxony later in 2024, and transition the plant to grinding-only. The producer took the decision following a ‘significant drop’ in its cement sales, amid local low construction activity and a market shift towards lower-cement materials. Nonetheless, it intend to raise its capacity utilisation at its 1Mt/yr Ennigerloh, 900,000t/yr Geseke and 400,000t/yr Paderborn cement plants in neighbouring North Rhine-Westphalia. These will supply clinker to the Hanover grinding plant in future. Heidelberg Materials says that the plant's strategic location will ensure its continued importance in regional cement supply. Part of the 120-strong workforce at the Hanover plant will remain at the new grinding plant. The company will collaborate with the works council to find ‘acceptable solutions’ for the remainder of the team, possibly including intra-group transfers to other divisions and locations.

The Calix consortium’s on-going LEILAC 2 carbon capture project will now move from the Hanover plant to another Heidelberg Materials plant. Australia-based Calix is collaborating with Heidelberg Materials to identify a suitable new site as quickly as possible.

Saudi Arabia: China National Building Material (CNBM) subsidiary Sinoma CDI has won a US$6m contract to upgrade cement and raw materials conveyors at Riyadh Cement Company’s Riyadh cement plant. The producer has opted for elevator conveyors for mechanical transportation, in place of its existing pneumatic conveyors. It expects this to increase energy efficiency and reduce necessary maintenance. The project is due for delivery in early 2025.

Riyadh Cement Company CEO Shoeil Al-Ayed said that the project aligns with the producer’s strategic energy reduction initiatives.

India: Aditya Birla subsidiary UltraTech Cement has commissioned its new 2.6Mt/yr Rajpura grinding plant in Punjab. The producer says that it made the investment in order to enhance its service to markets in Punjab.

The Rajpura grinding plant raises UltraTech Cement's installed grey cement capacity in India by 2% to 135.59Mt/yr.

UK: Aggregate Industries has successfully removed gas duct sections from the electrostatic precipitation filter at its Cauldon cement plant in Staffordshire. This will make way for the installation of a new CTP Team process kiln bag filter, following an annual shutdown.

Cauldon plant capital expenditure manager Mark Powling said “The new bag filter not only provides the best available technology, but will enable the Cauldon plant to optimise its plant performance, driving its decarbonisation and alternative fuel strategies. Thanks to the project team for their efforts and hard work to date.”