US: Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has announced a further extension of its licensing agreement in the US with its partner Hoffmann Green USA, originally signed in July 2024, following the exercise of an option involving an additional €10m entry fee. The latest extension expands Hoffmann Green USA’s exclusive licensing rights to cover 25 states in the western US. In return for the industrial and technological transfer and the exclusivity granted in these new territories, Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies will receive an additional €10m entry fee. This is in addition to the €10m already paid for earlier option exercises covering eastern states.

Under the terms of the licence agreement, Hoffmann Green USA is also required to pay fixed and variable annual royalties, calculated on the basis of revenues generated from the sale of Hoffmann Green cement in the licensed territories. The agreement further allows Hoffmann Green USA to sublicense Hoffmann Green production units in the newly covered states, creating an additional potential growth driver. Discussions are reportedly underway with several potential sublicensees.

Fiji: Pacific Cement has temporarily halted cement production following another equipment failure, according to The Fiji Times. Parent company Fijian Holdings said in a statement to the South Pacific Stock Exchange on 14 January 2026 that the mill ceased production in mid-December 2025 due to a problem with the cement mill motor.

The company said “The works to address the motor issue have been completed, with full commissioning works currently underway this week before we can recommence production. Based on the technical evaluation, the estimated time-frame for completion is approximately one week. Normal supply will resume by next week [19 January 2026].”

Mill breakdowns at Pacific Cement have become a recurring issue, largely attributed to the age of the plant and its machinery. The facility began operations in 1962 and has faced frequent mechanical failures in recent years. Plans to replace the existing factory with a new plant ‘over the next two to three years’ were outlined by Fijian Holdings management at the company’s annual general meeting in 2024, but the project has yet to materialise. The plant had only just resumed production in July 2025 due to a mill breakdown in March 2025. At that time, the company said that it was ‘fast-tracking’ an upgrade of the mill to improve reliability.

Switzerland: The Swiss cement industry supplied 946,465t of cement in the fourth quarter of 2025, contributing to a full-year total of 3.7Mt, up by around 4% compared to 2024, according to the Swiss cement association Cemsuisse. After a slight decline in 2024, cement deliveries stabilised during 2025, with the final quarter ending on a particularly positive note, showing an increase of almost 6% year-on-year.

The recovery was supported by a modest rise in construction activity. Residential construction played a key role, benefiting from a favourable interest rate environment. In contrast, civil engineering remained challenging for cement producers, as downsizing and delays in infrastructure projects constrained delivery volumes.

Stefan Vannoni, director of Cemsuisse, said “The cement industry has a positive year ahead. The favourable trend was clearly confirmed right up to the end of 2025. The quantities of Swiss cement delivered have been stable for decades and vary only by a small, single-digit percentage. Cement is and remains essential to the Swiss construction industry.”

However, the share of cement transported by rail fell again in 2025, extending a negative trend. Vannoni added “SBB Cargo’s price increases, coupled with a drastic reduction in services, are forcing cement manufacturers to turn to road transport. This undermines our decarbonisation strategy and overloads an already strained road network."

Egypt: Sky Ports Group has announced the start of construction of a bulk cement export terminal within its multi-purpose facility at Port Said, with a total investment of US$50m. The project is reportedly intended to boost cement exports and open access to new international markets, according to local press.

Tarek Hussein, chair of Sky Ports Group, said the feasibility study took nearly two years due to market challenges linked to a lack of internationally compliant bulk cement storage silos. This shortage has previously limited Egypt’s export capacity despite surplus domestic production. Hussein said the project aligns with the government’s strategy to increase exports of finished products and improve the competitiveness of Egyptian goods overseas. He added that strict import requirements in markets such as the US had constrained Egyptian bulk cement exports, and that the new terminal would remove these barriers.

The terminal will feature eight concrete silos, each with a capacity of 20,000t, giving total storage of 160,000t. It will have a handling capacity of 20,000t/day and a rate of 1000t/hr, allowing it to serve Panamax-class vessels. The project is being implemented through international partnerships with Spain, Germany and Denmark. Technical systems are reportedly being prepared in Denmark and Spain, with operations scheduled to commence in January 2026. The remaining silos will be delivered consecutively, two every four months, reaching full capacity by the end of 2027.

Once fully operational, the terminal is expected to increase Egypt’s cement export capacity to 4 - 6Mt/yr, while opening markets that previously could not receive Egyptian cement.