Vietnam: The Ministry of Construction has asked the Prime Minister to halt the Thanh Son Cement cement plant project in the province of Thanh Hóa over planning conflicts, defence safety restrictions and local opposition, according to local media.

The project was originally designed to produce 2500t/day of clinker, sufficient for 0.9Mt/yr of cement. The company had later planned to increase its capacity to 6000t/day of clinker (2.2Mt/yr of cement), but failed to secure funding for implementation.

The project has faced delays since it was announced in 2013. Authorities in Thanh Hoa repeatedly proposed halting it, and the ministry now says it no longer aligns with the province’s 2021 – 2030 development plan. The project site falls within the safety perimeter of a defence facility. The limestone and clay deposits intended to supply raw materials are also in an area where mineral extraction is prohibited.

Local opposition is another major obstacle. Of 717 households surveyed across five nearby villages, 715 opposed the project over concerns about pollution and health impacts.

Morocco: Holcim Maroc recorded an 8% decline in income during the first half of 2026, from US$94.8m to US$87.2m. According to management, this trend is mainly attributable to a weaker sales performance and rising fuel prices, partially offset by cost control measures and strengthened industrial performance.

As for the outlook, company officials state that “Growth prospects for the cement market remain favourable for the second half of 2026, supported by infrastructure investments linked to preparations for the 2030 World Cup, announced major investment projects and the continuation of the direct housing aid programme in the building sector."

Oman: Jindal Steel Oman and Oman Cement have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the sustainable utilisation of approximately 1Mt/yr of steel slag in the latter’s clinker manufacturing process. The MoU was signed by Jiang Tao, Acting CEO, Oman Cement (part of Huaxin Cement) and Harssha Shetty, CEO of Jindal Steel Oman.

Under the partnership, steel slag generated as a byproduct of steel manufacturing will be used as an alternative raw material in clinker production. The companies say that the initiative will help conserve natural resources, reduce reliance on virgin raw materials and improve the productive use of industrial by-products.

The collaboration brings together Oman’s steel and cement industries to promote industrial symbiosis and a circular economy, while supporting efforts towards lower-carbon cement production. The initiative also contributes to Oman’s Net Zero 2050 ambition by creating a circular link between two key industrial sectors and enabling the productive use of resources.

Greece: Titan has announced a strategic minority investment in Command Alkon, a leading technology platform that serves the building materials industry with software solutions. Command Alkon’s cloud-based platform provides a foundation for integrating workflows, enhancing data visibility, and accelerating the adoption of advanced digital and AI-enabled capabilities. The investment establishes a long-term partnership between Titan and Command Alkon. Command Alkon is an independent technology company serving the industry, majority-owned by Francisco Partners, a technology-focused global investment firm.

Titan said that its investment is aligned to its Forward 2029 strategy, reflecting its ambition and reinforcing the group's commitment to accelerate digital transformation, operational excellence and innovation across its global ready-mix concrete and aggregates businesses. With its extensive ready-mix concrete and aggregates footprint in its core US markets in Florida and Mid-Atlantic, as well as in South East Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean basin, Titan can offer unique operational know-how and digital implementation track record to Command Alkon’s growth strategy and contribute its operational perspective, along with Command Alkon’s broader customer community.