Global Cement News

China: China Shanshui Cement’s first-half sales fell by 2.5% year-on-year to US$1.5bn. The producer’s net profit for the half was US$70.6m, down by 60% from US$178m.

India: Birla Corporation recorded US$279m in consolidated sales in the first quarter of its 2023 financial year, which began on 1 April 2022. The figure corresponds to a 25% year-on-year increase from the producer’s first-quarter 2022 financial year sales figure. The Times of India newspaper has reported that Birla Corporation more than doubled its cement production capacity utilisation. The producer’s net profit dropped by 56% year-on-year to US$7.78m from US$17.8m in the first quarter of the 2022 financial year.

US: A team from Washington State University (WSU) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has successfully used waste crustacean shells in the production of concrete. ZME Science News has reported that the materials consist of calcium carbonate and 20 – 30% chitin, a nanoparticle biopolymer. When used as an additive in concrete production, the shells increase the set product’s compressive strength by 12% and its flexural strength by 40%. The team is now developing a methodology for the industrial-scale production of shell-based additives.

WSU researcher Professor Michael Wolcott said “Those are very significant numbers. If you can reduce the amount that you use and get the same mechanical function or structural function and double its lifetime, then you’re able to significantly reduce the carbon emissions of the built environment.”

India: Dalmia Bharat sold 6.2Mt of cement in the first quarter of its 2023 financial year, up by 27% year-on-year from 4.9Mt in the first quarter of its 2022 financial year. Its sales revenues also rose by 27%, to US$417m from US$327m. The growth failed to translate into increased profitability, however, with the company recording a profit after tax of US$25.9m, down by 27% from US$35.3m.

Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Managing Director and CEO Mahendra Singhi said “I am pleased with our performance this quarter. Our sustained efforts on operational efficiencies and cost rationalisation have enabled us to mitigate the adverse impact of inflation and deliver our lowest total cost of production. Our capacity expansion projects are on track, and we have added 2Mt/yr of clinker capacity and 1.1Mt/yr of cement capacity, which takes our cement capacity to 37Mt/yr. We remain firm on our Carbon Negative Roadmap, and during the quarter have installed 41.4MW of renewable energy infrastructure.”

India: Holcim subsidiaries ACC and Ambuja Cements, along with Dalmia Cement, Shree Cement, UltraTech Cement and 15 other Indian cement producers, have violated antitrust laws through price collusion and supply restriction, a Competition Commission of India (CCI) investigation has uncovered. Reuters News has reported that regular price rises in the Indian cement market were the outcome of collusion between producers, which set target prices by district and carried out twice weekly inspections of participant companies’ operations. Senior executives from ACC and UltraTech Cement, among other companies, served as state-wide coordinators. They planned and carried out their deception by means including messaging platform WhatsApp.

ACC and UltraTech Cement, along with ACC’s fellow Holcim subsidiary Ambuja Cements, declined to comment, however Holcim said “The Indian companies are managing this matter responsibly and we expect them to continue to do so accordingly."