Global Cement News

Switzerland: LafargeHolcim reduced its net CO₂ emissions per tonne of cementitious material by 1% year-on-year to 576kg CO₂/t in 2018 from 582kg CO₂/t in 2017. It said that the improvement was achieved by reducing the clinker-to-cement ratio and consuming less energy per tonne of cement, mostly by using alternative fuels and improving the efficiency of the company’s processes. However, data from its Sustainability Report 2018 shows that both its overall gross and net emissions grew. Its net CO₂ emissions from cementitious material increased by 2.5% to 121Mt. At the same time its clinker production rose by 2.7% to 151Mt from 147Mt.

The group increased its treatment of waste-derived resources to 52Mt. its alternative raw material substitute rate grew to 11.2% from 10.7%. It established a new pre-processing facility in Madukkarai in India and upgraded its waste handling capacities in Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, India, Canada, Spain and Germany. It also reduced its freshwater withdrawal for cement production and improved its lost time injury rates.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement’s sales rose by 5% year-on-year to US$8.36bn in the year to 31 March 2019 from US$7.95bn in the same period in 2018. Its net income grew by 12.8% to US$397m from US$352m. The group’s cement sales volumes rose by 3.5% to 15.4Mt. However, its exports fell by 18% to 3.5Mt. It noted that infrastructure projects for high-speed railway and the Tokyo Olympics had driven local demand for cement.

Uzbekistan: Qarshi Conch Cement, a subsidiary of China’s Anhui Conch Cement, plans to commission its new 1.2Mt/yr plant at Qarshi in December 2020. The project had an investment of US$150m, according to Kun. Anhui Conch said that preliminary work had started on the plant in early 2019.

Zimbabwe: LafargeHolcim has allocated US$25m to LafargeHolcim Zimbabwe to raise its production capacity utilisation. The investment was announced following a meeting between President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and Miljan Gutovic, the Middle East and Africa area director for LafargeHolcim, according to the Standard newspaper. The investment will also be used to create additional production capacity for agricultural lime and automation of a dry mortar plant. This latest cash injection follows a US$30m loan from LafargeHolcim.

Algeria: LafargeHolcim Algeria has made two new export shipments from the Port of Oran. The first was a consignment of 15,000t of bulk grey cement from its Oggaz cement plant to West Africa, according to the El Moudjahid newspaper. The second was a dual consignment of 5000t of white clinker and 25,000t of grey clinker from the same plant to Cameroon. The cement producer said that the white clinker export was the first of its kind from Algeria.