Global Cement News

Belgium: FEBELCEM, the Federation of the Belgian Cement Industry, has elected Morgan Malecotte as its president. He succeeds Christoph Streicher in the post. The appointment has a duration of two years.

Malecotte is currently the CEO of Holcim Belgium and has been in this position since late 2022. Prior to this he worked for Arkema in management roles from 2014 to 2022. He eventually became its general manager France – BU Construction & Consumer Adhesive. Earlier in his career he worked for the chemicals company Henkel from 2002 to 2014. He holds an bachelor's degree in marketing and management from the Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, a master’s degree in the same subject from OMNES Education and an executive master’s of business administration (MBA) from INSEAD.

EU: The European Commission intends to withdraw a proposal aimed at combating so-called ‘greenwashing’, by ensuring companies’ environmental claims are accurate, substantiated and independently verified, according to MSN News. The proposal was initially presented in March 2023, as part of the broader European Green Deal legislative framework and was expected to go ahead in a matter of days, after reported ‘successful talks.’

Poland’s EU Council presidency said it is “ready to enter constructively into the trilogue and go ahead as planned until there is a clear decision from the Commission.”

A Parliament negotiator said “It is unacceptable that the Commission blatantly interferes with the progress made by co-legislators on this file.”

The Commission has not confirmed whether its College of Commissioners has formally decided to withdraw the proposal. Beyond the immediate legislative impact, the move raises broader questions about the Commission's authority to retract its own proposals. A 2015 Court of Justice ruling allows proposal withdrawals under strict conditions, such as in the case of institutional deadlock or the proposal becoming obsolete. Neither case appears to apply to the Green Claims Directive.

Tanzania: Tanzania Portland Cement Company (TPC), also known as Twiga Cement, has acquired a 95% stake in limestone extractor Mamba Cement from UAE-based Sura Holdings for US$15.9m. The acquisition secures access to major limestone deposits 125km from the TPC plant in Dar es Salaam, addressing limited reserves at its current Tegeta–Wazo Hill quarry. Twiga Cement said “The acquisition was done with the intention of vertical integration of Mamba Cement’s operations with TPC.”

TPC recorded a net profit of US$21.5m in 2024, down from US$37.6m in 2023. Sales fell by 8.5% year-on-year to US$170m, while clinker production declined by 1% and cement output rose by 0.3%. The dividend is expected to be approved and paid in June 2025. Tanzania’s cement market had 13 plants operating below 60% capacity utilisation as of December 2024.

Pakistan: Cement exports rose by 22% year-on-year in the first 11 months of the 2024–25 financial year, which started in July 2024, reaching over 8Mt, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Shipments increased by 30% year-on-year from 6.18Mt to 8.0Mt. In May 2025, exports rose by 6% year-on-year to US$34m in value and by 45% month-on-month from April 2025. Overall, national exports grew by 5% while imports rose by 7.5% over the same period.

New Zealand: Fletcher Building will begin using hard-to-recycle plastics and wood as alternative fuels in its cement production process during 2025, as part of its ‘front-end firing project’, according to The Post newspaper. The company aims to be 100% coal-free by 2030. It said wood pellets and shredded tyres currently substitute for 50% of coal. The new additions will raise this to 70–80%. Fletcher Building began burning wood pellets in 2003, construction waste in 2010 and tyres in 2023. Fletcher Building said it plays a “significant role in waste diversion for New Zealand."