UK: Aggregate Industries has launched the ECOPlanet product range. The products offer a reduction of at least 30% in the carbon footprint of cement, compared to CEM I ordinary Portland cement, by using second cementitious materials such as fly ash. The launch of the ECOPlanet range is part of the subsidiary of Holcim’s 2030 sustainability strategy, Building Progress for a Sustainable Future.

Dragan Maksimovic, the chief executive officer of Aggregate Industries, said “The launch of ECOPlanet expands on our existing low carbon products including ECOPact, the world’s broadest range of green concrete or Super-Low Carbon, the first asphalt using biogenic material within the bitumen. The product is driven by innovation and by our ambitions to build a net zero future, and we’re delighted once again to be pushing the boundaries of low carbon construction solutions.”

Mexico: The construction materials producer GCC reported double-digit growth in its first quarter results, driven by higher prices for its products in Mexico and the US. Its operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the first three months of 2023 rose by 16% year-on-year compared to the same period in 2022 to reach US$63m, while revenues rose by 18% to US$243.9m.

"GCC delivered solid results in the first quarter," said Enrique Escalante, GCC’s chief executive officer. "High demand continues and we are leveraging all of GCC's resources to ensure we deliver the highest profits and strengthen our margins."

The growth in revenue was driven by higher ready-mixed concrete (RMC) sales volumes in the US, which were 27% higher than in 2022, and 11% higher cement and RMC volumes in Mexico. GCC also noted an increase in cement and RMC prices of 21% and 6%, respectively, in the US, while in Mexico the increases were 13% for cement and 11% for ready-mix.

Ireland: CRH has reported a ‘positive’ start to 2023, with first quarter sales and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) ahead of its own expectations.

In a trading update chief executive officer Albert Manifold said “We had a positive start to the year in a seasonally quiet trading period. While some adverse weather conditions were experienced in the first quarter, sales and EBITDA were ahead, underpinned by the continued execution of our integrated solutions strategy and further commercial progress across our markets.”

In its Americas Materials Solutions business unit, CRH’s sales were 10% ahead of the first quarter of 2022, driven by robust pricing which more than offset the impact of unfavourable weather on activity levels in certain markets during this seasonally less significant quarter.

In Europe, like-for-like sales were 6% ahead of the first quarter of 2022 due to strong pricing momentum across all products and regions. Activity levels were impacted by less favourable weather conditions compared to the same period in 2022. Unfavourable currency exchange effects resulted in total sales being 1% behind 2022.

Manifold added, “Looking ahead, despite some ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties and an inflationary cost environment, we expect first-half sales, EBITDA and margin to be ahead of the prior year period.”

Mozambique/South Africa: InterCement, a Brazil-based cement producer controlled by Mover (formerly Camargo Corrêa), has started to receive offers for its assets in South Africa and Mozambique. The US-based bank JP Morgan is advising the company on structuring the group’s business in Africa. The value of the deal has been estimated at around US$300m.

The company previously announced the sale of its Egyptian unit in January 2023, undertaken to reduce its debt, which has come under pressure from rising global interest rates. The company must refinance US$548m in senior notes by May 2024, which were previously raised when InterCement acquired Portugal’s Cimpor through Camargo Corrêa in 2010.

InterCement sold 17.8Mt of cement in 2022 excluding the Egyptian unit.