Afghanistan: The Information and Culture Department of Herat announced the official commencement of the Herat Cement project, which will reportedly enter production within the next 14 months, according to Atlas Press. The plant will have a production capacity of 3000t/day and will meet approximately 60% of domestic demand.
France: Vicat Group has released its financial results for 2025, showing what its CEO called a ‘solid’ performance in 2025, despite a ‘complex international environment.’ The group’s sales reached €3.8bn in 2025, a rise of 3.3% on a like-for-like basis. Growth accelerated gradually throughout the year, with a rise of 8.1% on a like-for-like basis in the fourth quarter of 2025. Group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) reached €771m in 2025, up by 3.7%. Its net income amounted to €307m, up 11.9%.
Following a first-half decline, cement volumes rebounded in the second half, leading to full-year growth of 3.0%. This dynamic reflects a gradual stabilisation in France, a sustained recovery in Switzerland and a strong performance in the Mediterranean region, offsetting the decline in volumes in the US. Industrial performance improved in the cement business, notably driven by an increase in the use of alternative fuels, which rose by 1.4 points compared to 2024, reaching 37.4%.
Cement prices remained resilient overall in the group’s key regions: they rose in most emerging countries, with the exception of India and Senegal, and held steady in developed markets. Concrete volumes rose by 0.9% in 2025, supported by strong growth in Brazil and Türkiye. However, this was partially offset by a decline in the US, particularly in California, and by a moderate downturn in France.
Vicat’s Chair and CEO Guy Sidos said, “In a complex international environment characterised by headwinds and adverse exchange rate effects, the group delivered solid results in 2025, following a record year in 2024. This performance underscores the resilience of our business model, which is built on a balanced presence across developed and emerging markets, as well as a local-to-local approach. It also demonstrates the importance of the long-term vision of our corporate strategy, and the unwavering commitment of our employees across 12 countries.”
India: Renaatus Procon will invest US$27.5m in the first phase of a new fibre cement board manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh. The facility is expected to be commissioned in 2026, and will have a production capacity of 60,000t/yr. It will serve the construction sector in southern Indian states and export markets.
The producer also plans to invest US$33m over the next 2-3 years to scale up production of its Renacon autoclaved aerated concete (ACC) blocks.
India: Approval has been granted for three major railway projects in a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Approximately US$2bn will be spent on three multi-tracking projects, which the government says will strengthen the railway network. The routes are from Kasara to Manmad, from Delhi to Ambala, and from Ballari to Hospete. A third and fourth rail line will be laid on all these routes, which will help reduce traffic congestion.
This government says that the projects will speed up freight transport, with a capacity increase of 96Mt/yr. This includes key building materials like cement, coal, steel, grains and fertilisers. The government claims that using rail transport will reduce oil imports and help to reduce CO2 emissions, in line with the country's climate goals.
