China: China Resources Cement (CRC)’s first-half net profit increased by 11% year-on-year to US$541m in 2020 from US$481m in 2019. This was in spite of a 3% fall in revenues to US$2.18bn from US$2.25m. CRC said, “The gradual stabilisation of infrastructure construction and the real-estate market - as well as the steady progress of urbanisation and rural construction - will be conducive to the stable development of the cement industry."

Colombia: The National Association of Entrepreneurs and Dinero Magazine have named Cementos Argos fourth among 242 of Colombia’s most innovative companies. Chief executive officer (CEO) Juan Esteban Calle said, “This recognition fills us with pride and motivates us to continue to advance. We are convinced that it is possible to help materialise more dreams of housing and a better infrastructure for millions of people.”

Vietnam: Siam Cement Group (SCG) has donated four mobile pressure chambers for use by medical staff to collect samples without coming into contact with patients at the Da Nang Centre for Disease Control in Da Nang, South Central Coast Region. Viet Nam News has reported that the equipment has already been successfully used for mass sample collection in Thailand.

SCG subsidiary Vietnam Construction Materials general director Nopporn Keeratibunharn said, “Amid the rise of Covid-19 in the central area, SCG deeply understands and shares the responsibility to support and protect the local medical workforce via our innovation and expertise. When collecting samples, the medical workforce is prone to get in contact with the virus in micro-droplets from talking, sneezing, and coughing during the swab. Designed and built by SCG, these mobile positive-pressure chambers aim to avoid direct contact between the sample-collecting staff and the person providing the sample.”

Turkey: Germany-based IKN has announced its appointment by Kentçim Çimento for engineering and installation of a 4500t/day kiln line at the company’s upcoming 1.6Mt/yr Muğla integrated cement plant in Muğla Province. Production manager Mehmet Fatih Ekici said, “May it be good and auspicious for our country.”