Cuba: Corporación Cementos Cubanos’ has resumed production once more at its Siguaney integrated cement plant in Sancti Spíritus Province. The plant was closed for the last seven months of 2022 due to technical issues. Escambray News has reported that plant manager Gonzalo Reina Aguilar said that imported refractory bricks proved crucial to the successful repair operation. Reina Aguilar also noted a ‘better energy situation’ in the country, ensuring the plant of its ‘necessary allocations’ in future.

Corporación Cementos Cubanos hopes that the return of the Siguaney plant to regular operations will help to ease a shortage of cement in Sancti Spíritus and neighbouring Ciego de Ávila.

Pakistan: Lucky Cement commenced clinker production from a new 3.15Mt/yr kiln line at its Pezu integrated cement in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in late December 2022. This latest expansion increases the producer’s domestic production capacity by 26% to 15.3Mt/yr, from below 12.2Mt/yr earlier in 2022. The company also operates cement plants in Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq with an additional capacity of 4.4Mt/yr.

The International News newspaper has reported that Lucky Cement anticipates domestic cement demand to grow due to the rebuilding of homes destroyed by flooding in 2022.

Canada/US: Lehigh Hanson has rebranded as Heidelberg Materials North America, with immediate effect. The cement producer said that the new brand reflects its broad, innovation-driven approach to becoming the North American industry leader in sustainability and digital solutions.

President and chief executive officer Chris Ward said “This is a major step change for our company, both globally and here in North America. We are thrilled to begin this transformation in North America today, and continue our global journey to grow our business beyond cement and aggregates and become the most sustainable company in the sector.”

India: Three cement producers plan to establish new plants in Shankragarh, south of the River Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj District. The Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority said that JK Cement has signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a 2.5Mt/yr grinding plant, according to the Hindustan Times newspaper. Eco Cement plans to build a 4Mt/yr grinding plant, and KJS Cement a 2Mt/yr cement plant. All three companies have applied for no-objection certificates from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board.