India: Tiruchi Corporation has intensified efforts to manage non-recyclable plastics by diverting them to cement plants for use as alternative fuel. The city generates 400 - 450t/day of waste, of which about 75% is segregated at source. Non-recyclable plastics are collected through door-to-door systems and sent to Dalmia Cements’ and UltraTech Cement’s plants, where they are used as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in the kilns. Since July 2024, 2384t of plastics have been diverted to cement plants.

An upcoming automated material recovery facility at Ariyamangalam, with a capacity of 250t/day, is expected to further improve segregation, ensuring recyclable, non-recyclable, inert and RDF streams are directed to cement plants for reuse.

Uzbekistan: Czech Republic-based PSP Engineering will build the Jizzakh cement plant for local company Jizzakh Avantage Plus, with an investment of US$183m, according to Forbes Czech Republic. The turnkey project is scheduled for completion at the start of 2028.

The plant will have a production capacity of 1Mt/yr, covering about 5% of Uzbekistan’s annual cement output once operational. Turkish company SanDeks is participating as a strategic partner, while selected Czech companies will contribute to the supply chain. The project is reportedly financed by an international investment fund. Jaroslav Koutňák, technical director and board member of PSP Engineering, said the Jizzakh Avantage Plus plant represents the company’s largest project in Central Asia and the Middle East.

Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement narrowed its losses in the first half of 2025 as higher sales volumes and stronger margins offset rising energy costs and inflationary pressures, according to Sharecast. The company reported revenue of US$40.9m for the six months ending 30 June 2025, up by 19% from US$34.4m in 2024, driven by an 18% increase in sales volumes to 850,000t. Net loss fell sharply from US$3.5m to US$0.5m in 2024.

The producer said that production costs remained flat in tenge terms despite higher electricity, diesel and consumable prices. Clinker output rose by 4% in the first six months and remains on track for 8% growth in 2025. The producer has reportedly invested in ecological compliance measures, including new filters, and commissioned a dynamic separator for its third raw mill. It is also exploring ways to boost clinker capacity at its Line 6 and optimise its wider asset base.

Kazakhstan’s cement market grew by 19% in the first half of 2025, supported by favourable weather, economic growth, infrastructure spending, population increases and subsidised mortgage lending. However, Steppe expects growth to slow in the second half of 2025. The company aims to maintain its domestic market share at around 14% for the full year, with total volumes between 1.8Mt and 1.85Mt. Exports fell from 0.45Mt to 0.4Mt in the same period of 2024, while imports increased to 7.7% of the market amid higher supply from Uzbekistan. Steppe Cement reported clinker and cement inventories valued at US$7.3m.

Pakistan: Lucky Cement commissioned 28.8MW of wind power at its south Karachi plant in the second quarter of the 2025 financial year, bringing its total renewable energy portfolio to 160MW. This includes 74MW of solar and 56MW of waste heat recovery (WHR).

The company said renewable sources now cover more than 55% of its cement operations’ electricity demand, with the remaining 45% supplied by the national grid.

Lucky Cement also reported that cement dispatches rose by 8% year-on-year in the 2025 financial year, driven largely by stronger exports. The company said that it has retained its position as Pakistan’s largest cement exporter, with African markets accounting for the bulk of volumes.