Tajikistan: The government ordered the immediate shutdown of Tajikcement’s Dushanbe cement plant ‘due to serious air pollution’ on 18 July 2023. Asia-PLUS News has reported that the suspension will likely last until the end of 2023. The government has indicated that an upgrade to the plant’s equipment would be necessary for it to be able to reopen. It previously stated that the plant would have to shut down altogether and relocate to a new site, to be replaced by a confectionary factory.

Slovenia: Salonit Anhovo has announced a planned name change to Alpacem Cement Slovenia. STAkrog News has reported that the inclusion of the word ‘Slovenia’ will require special government approval. The company said that Alpacem better reflects its ownership, while Cement reflects its core activity.

Salonit Anhovo is 75% owned by Austria-based Wietersdorfer Alpacem and 25% owned by Italy-based Buzzi.

Malaysia: YTL Cement and Thailand-based SCG have signed a memorandum of understanding with Innocement, a joint venture between the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA). The agreement is intended to strengthen the cement supply chain, secure the reliability of supply and stabilise prices in the region, according to the Star newspaper. In January 2023 representatives of the SEDC and the BDA had visited SCG in Bangkok. At this time it was reported that a joint venture between the SEDC and the BDA wanted to import 0.5 – 1Mt/yr of cement from SCG.

China: China Shanshui Cement has warned investors of an anticipated net loss during the first half of 2023. Dow Jones Institutional News has reported that the group expects to record a '145 - 150%' year-on-year decline in its profit compared with first-half 2022 levels. It attributed this to a fall in the price of its cement throughout the period.