Court Approves Class Action Lawsuit Against Exshaw Cement Plant
Alberta's Court of King’s Bench certified a class‑action lawsuit against Amrize Canada Inc., the former Lafarge cement plant in Exshaw. The suit, filed by former resident Sarah Furlonger, alleges that the 2016 expansion created excessive fine‑dust, noise, odours and vibrations that have damaged personal and real property. Plaintiffs include anyone who owned or occupied a home in Exshaw or Lac des Arcs from September 12 2016 onward, and the court admitted expert analyses on dust composition and property valuation. The case now moves forward to a summer hearing on further litigation steps.
Argentina Sees 13% Drop in Cement Consumption
Argentina's cement market shrank sharply in early 2026, with April production down 13.2% YoY to 733,505 tonnes. Total cement consumption fell 12.7% to 730,856 tonnes, while imports rose 31.7% and exports plunged 60% to 2,861 tonnes. Over the January‑April period,...
North Korea Increases Chinese Cement Imports Amid Construction Surge
North Korea has sharply increased imports of Chinese cement since early April, driven by a surge in domestic construction linked to its 20×10 Regional Development Policy. Domestic cement plants are unable to meet demand due to output shortfalls and rising...
Birla Corp Reports Higher FY25 Profit as Cement Capacity Expands
Birla Corp posted a 14.8% rise in its March 2026 quarter net profit, reaching INR 2.95 bn ($35 m), while revenue was essentially flat at INR 28.75 bn ($341 m). For the full FY25, profit surged 89% to INR 5.58 bn ($66 m), driven by tighter cost control and...
Tata Steel IJmuiden and Ecocem Partner on Steel Slag SCM Development
Tata Steel Nederland and Ecocem have signed a memorandum of understanding to broaden their work on turning steelmaking slags into supplementary cementitious materials for low‑carbon cement in Europe. The partnership, which previously focused on granulated blast‑furnace slag, will now develop...
Kuwait Portland Cement Reports Sharp Decline in 1Q26 Profit
Kuwait Portland Cement posted a sharp profit drop in Q1 2026, reporting net profit attributable to shareholders of KWD 113,713 (approximately US $370,000). Total operating revenue for the quarter was KWD 20.9 million, roughly US $69 million. The decline stemmed primarily from weaker gains on the company’s...
Cruz Azul Regains Hidalgo Plant
Cooperativa Cruz Azul announced that its members have reclaimed control of a cement plant in Hidalgo that once supplied roughly 40% of the cooperative’s output. The facility is slated to be fully operational within three months. The group also confirmed...
Ambuja Cement to Build New Grinding Plant in Madhya Pradesh
Ambuja Cements, an Adani Group unit, has broken ground on a new cement grinding plant in Mawan village near Guna, Madhya Pradesh. The project involves a 10.59 billion‑rupee (≈US$127 million) investment and will create about 1,500 jobs. Built in two phases, the...
Dangote Cement Reportedly Considering London Listing
Dangote Cement, Africa's largest cement producer, is reportedly weighing a partial listing in London to tap international capital markets. The move aims to broaden its investor base and potentially lift valuation multiples, leveraging its 55 Mta capacity across ten African nations....
IBAU Hamburg Breaks Ground on Major Silo Project in Lithuania
IBAU Hamburg began construction of a turnkey multi‑compartment mixing silo for AB Akmenes cementas, a Schwenk Zement subsidiary, in Naujoji Akmené, Lithuania, with a groundbreaking ceremony on May 6. The German EPC contractor will install advanced cement conveying, mixing and loading technologies...
Middle East War Drives Increase in Construction Material Costs in Brazil
The war in the Middle East is tightening global supply chains and driving up prices for cement, steel and other construction inputs. Brazil, a major importer of these commodities, has seen material costs climb roughly 12% year‑over‑year, pressuring developers and...
ABB to Power Novada Cements New Florida Facility
Novada Cement, part of the Medcem Group, is building its first U.S. plant in Tampa Bay, Florida, with a capacity of over 600,000 t of cement per year. The company has partnered with ABB to install electrification, automation and drive technologies,...
EU Commissioner Visits Ecocem Dunkirk Plant
EU Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra toured Ecocem’s flagship low‑carbon cement plant in Dunkirk, underscoring the sector’s role in Europe’s climate agenda. Ecocem is injecting €50 million (≈$55 million) to expand its ACT technology, which can cut CO₂ emissions by up to 70 percent. The...
Cementir Reports 7% Fall in Revenue in 1Q26
Cementir posted a 7.1% revenue decline to €344.1 million (≈$375 million) in Q1 2026, driven by harsh winter weather in Europe and Turkey and lower volumes in ready‑mix concrete and aggregates. EBITDA fell 40.6% to €41.4 million (≈$45 million), but the net cash balance improved...
ECO Material Technologies to Launch New Pilot Plant and Test Lab
ECO Material Technologies is opening a 16,400‑sq‑ft pilot plant and testing laboratory in Georgia. The facility integrates pilot‑scale production with advanced material characterization to develop high‑performance cementitious products, including supplementary cementitious materials such as harvested ash and natural pozzolans. By...
Loesche to Supply Slag Grinding Plant for Ferro Duo SCM Project in Germany
Loesche has won a contract from Ferro Duo GmbH to supply a slag‑grinding plant for a new supplementary cementitious material (SCM) production hub in Duisburg, Germany. The plant will feature a Loesche vertical roller mill with an LSKS dynamic classifier,...
Fauji Cement Announces Key Board and Executive Changes
Fauji Cement Co Ltd announced board and executive changes effective late April and early May 2026. Retired Maj Gen Tariq Qaddus stepped down from the board, replaced by retired Maj Gen Irfan Arshad Khan. The company also appointed Qaiser Mehmood as chief finance officer,...
Fives and NOC Energy Partner on Electrified Heat Technology for Clay Calcination
Fives Group and NOC Energy have teamed up to test a high‑temperature thermal battery in Fives' clay‑calcination pilot plant. The 10 MW NOC Cell™ can convert renewable electricity into heat up to 1,500 °C and store it on demand, potentially avoiding up...
Owens Corning to Sell Glass Reinforcement Business to Praana Group
Owens Corning announced the sale of its glass reinforcement business to Praana Group for approximately $1.2 billion in cash. The transaction, expected to close in Q3 2026, transfers manufacturing sites in the United States, Europe and Asia to the buyer. Proceeds will...
Heidelberg Materials Reports Lower 1Q26 Earnings
Heidelberg Materials posted a 3.8% drop in Q1 2026 revenue to €4.54 bn (≈$5.34 bn) and a 30.4% fall in result from current operations (RCO) to €163 m (≈$192 m). Adverse weather in Europe and the U.S. Northeast, higher energy costs and geopolitical uncertainty...
KHD Industry Workshop Showcases 2nd-Gen Pyrofloor and New Roller Press
KHD staged a live demonstration at its Faridabad plant, showcasing the second‑generation Pyrofloor² cooler to 75 industry professionals. The system’s optimized airflow and a new cassette design improve heat‑recovery efficiency while lowering pressure drops and maintenance needs. Technical sessions then...
Holcim Deploys Carbon-Storing Concrete Technology in German Logistics Project
Holcim, together with Swedish startup Paebbl and contractor Goldbeck, has completed the first commercial‑scale deployment of Paebbl’s carbon‑storing supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in a logistics centre in southern Germany. The concrete mix, which incorporates Paebbl Rebond, cut cement use by...
New Leadership at VDZ
The German Cement Works Association (VDZ) has elected Dr. Dirk Spenner as its new president, succeeding Christian Knell after nine years. Spenner, managing partner of the centenary‑old Spenner Group, will lead VDZ alongside incoming executives Manuel Mohr (Chief Executive) and Dr. Jörg Rickert...
Bedeschi Wins North African Reclaimer Orders for Chinese Client
Italian equipment maker Bedeschi secured a new order in North Africa to supply multiple bulk storage lines for a cement plant owned by a Chinese EPC contractor. The contract includes two circular storage units with high‑capacity rotating stackers and circular...
Italian Cement Down Sharply in February
Italian cement output plunged 18% year‑over‑year in February, extending a 1% decline in January and resulting in an 11% drop for the January‑February period. Weak domestic demand, driven by adverse weather, and a 42% slump in exports were the primary...
Heidelberg Materials Commissions New Kiln Line at Airvault Plant
Heidelberg Materials has commissioned a modern dry‑process kiln line at its Airvault cement plant in Nouvelle‑Aquitaine, France, replacing two semi‑dry clinker lines. The new line can produce 1.25 million tonnes of clinker per year and features a pre‑calciner to boost efficiency....
Dangote Cement Reports Strong 1Q26
Dangote Cement posted a robust first‑quarter 2026, with revenue climbing 20.4% year‑on‑year to NGN 1.20 trillion (about $750 million) and EBITDA rising 22.8% to NGN 567.1 billion, lifting the EBITDA margin to 47.3%. Net profit after tax surged 53.5% to NGN 321.1 billion (≈$401 million). Cement and clinker...
Cambodian Minister Encourages Huaxin to Expand Cement Investment
Cambodia’s Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hem Vanndy, urged Huaxin Building Materials Group to broaden its investment after touring the modernised Cambodia Cement Chakrey Ting Factory in Kampot. The minister highlighted Huaxin’s long‑term commitment since 2012 and called...
Spain's Precast Concrete Market Expands 8% in 2025
Spain’s precast concrete market is projected to grow 8% in 2025, buoyed by strong residential construction and EU green‑building incentives. In parallel, European manufacturers are deepening sustainability commitments: Knauf and Bodensanierung Recycling (BSR) have launched a gypsum‑recycling joint venture, while...
Pakistan's Cement Dispatches Grew Significantly in April 2026
Pakistan’s cement dispatches jumped 11.1% year‑over‑year in April 2026, reaching 3.89 million tonnes. Domestic shipments surged 20.2% to 3.22 Mt, while export volumes slipped 18.2% to 0.67 Mt. The north‑based mills drove most of the domestic growth, posting an 18.3% increase, whereas the south...
Knauf and BSR Enter Gypsum Recycling Joint Venture
Knauf and BSR have launched a 50/50 joint venture to recycle gypsum waste into reusable building material. The partnership will invest roughly €50 million (about $55 million) to construct a plant capable of processing up to 500,000 metric tons of gypsum annually....
Cemtech Europe 2026 Announced for Paris
Cemtech Europe 2026 has been confirmed for October 7‑9 at the Hyatt Regency in Paris. The conference, themed “Innovation and manufacturing excellence,” will convene cement producers, equipment suppliers, technology innovators and policymakers. Sessions will spotlight decarbonisation tactics such as calcined...
Caribbean Cement Co Clarifies Production Performance
Caribbean Cement Co clarified its 2025 production performance, noting that a $42 million kiln expansion and debottlenecking project forced a 55‑day shutdown that cut output by 167,500 t. The plant also faced severe weather, with Hurricanes Beryl, Rafael and Melissa disrupting operations...
Iraqi Cement Producers Association Tackles Market Stability and Green Innovation
The Iraqi Cement Producers Association held its second regular board meeting on April 23, 2026, emphasizing tighter coordination to balance supply and demand amid a weakening domestic market. The board approved Dabin Cement Industry Co Ltd as a new member,...
Middle East Crisis Strains Cement Sector
Bangladesh’s cement sector faces a sharp output decline as the Middle East conflict disrupts imports of clinker and limestone, driving production costs up 30‑40%. A concurrent diesel shortage worsens logistics, while weak domestic demand prevents price passes. Output has fallen...
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz Continues to Impact Energy Prices
The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, compounded by the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, is keeping oil prices volatile near US $100 per barrel. Coal prices have followed, trading in a US $100‑110 band, while 6.5 % sulfur petcoke has risen to US $106 per...
New Silt Press Recovers 90% Water at Holcim UK's Hillhead Quarry
Holcim UK has poured a multimillion‑pound (£10 million, ≈$14 million) investment into its Hillhead quarry in Devon, installing a state‑of‑the‑art silt press. The equipment captures roughly 90% of the water used in silt washing, dramatically reducing discharge and reuse needs. By reclaiming...
ACA Revises 2026 Forecast Amid Regional Conflict
The American Cement Association (ACA) has lowered its 2026 U.S. cement consumption outlook, projecting a 2.5% decline. The downgrade is linked to higher borrowing costs triggered by the February conflict in Iran, which has unsettled bond markets and pushed mortgage...
KHD Humboldt Wedag Achieves Milestone at Cimpor Alhandra
KHD Humboldt Wedag has completed the first kiln firing and cold commissioning of Line 7 at Cimpor’s Alhandra cement plant in Portugal, marking a key step toward full production. The upgrade introduces the Pyrorotor alternative‑fuel combustion reactor, enabling the use of...
Heidelberg Materials Accelerates Global Deployment of Autonomous Heavy Equipment
Heidelberg Materials is scaling its autonomous heavy‑equipment program after a successful Texas pilot, targeting roughly 30 driverless vehicles by 2026. The rollout will span six sites across North America, Australia and Europe, featuring two vehicle classes equipped with AI‑driven sensors....
Federal Grant Powers New Memphis Cement Terminal
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $19.6 million Port Infrastructure Development grant to the International Port of Memphis. The funding will convert a dormant grain facility into an active cement terminal featuring a pneumatic barge unloading system, storage, and truck‑transfer...
CLEAR to Unify Life Cycle Carbon Emissions Measurement and Reporting
The Coalition for Life Cycle Emissions Alignment and Report (CLEAR) was launched at the recent Sustainab conference to standardize how carbon emissions are measured and reported across a product’s entire life cycle. The initiative targets the construction and building materials...
OYAK Cement Launches Turkiye’s Largest Industrial Solar Power Plant
OYAK Cement has commissioned Turkey’s largest industrial solar power plant in Beypazarı, Ankara, with a peak capacity of 115.5 MW and a grid connection of 97.8 MW. The 150‑hectare site houses 211,000 panels, expected to generate 182 GWh annually, raising the company’s renewable...
Cement Exports From Bangladesh Are Booming
Bangladesh’s cement exports surged in the first nine months of FY25‑26, with export earnings climbing 16.2% year‑on‑year to $11.98 million. The nine‑month period also saw month‑on‑month growth, though full‑year FY24‑25 revenue slipped to $14.33 million from $18.42 million the prior year. India’s northeastern...
IEEE/ACA Cement Conference Opens with Record Attendance in Fort Lauderdale
The IEEE‑IAS/ACA Cement Conference opened in Fort Lauderdale with a record 1,291 registered attendees from 32 countries, highlighting the sector’s global reach. Organizers introduced a poster pavilion for emerging technologies and replaced early‑morning roundtables with later “cement mixer” sessions to...
Bolivian Cement Market Contracts 34% in February
Bolivia's cement consumption plunged 33.5% in February 2026, falling to 201,019 t from 302,475 t a year earlier. Every department recorded a decline except Chuquisaca, which posted a 43.4% surge to 26,528 t. The broader January‑February 2026 period saw the market contract 27.2%...
Yamama Cement Reports Drop in 3Q Sales but Uptick in Net Profit
Yamama Saudi Cement posted first‑quarter 2026 revenue of SAR339.8 million (~$90.6 million), a 2.6% YoY decline driven by lower selling prices. Operating profit slipped 11% to SAR132.3 million (~$35 million). Despite the revenue dip, net profit edged up 1.3% to SAR143.9 million (~$38.4 million) thanks to...
West China Cement Opens New Ugandan Production Line
Uganda inaugurated the first phase of the Yaobai Cement plant in Moroto, adding a 6,000‑ton‑per‑day clinker production line financed by West China Cement. The $300 million facility will generate 2 million tonnes of clinker and 3 million tonnes of cement annually, cutting reliance...
Eastern Province Cement Completes New Kiln Line in Khursaniyah
Eastern Province Cement Co announced the completion of a new 10,000‑ton‑per‑day clinker kiln line at its Khursaniyah plant in Saudi Arabia. The line was delivered under a turnkey contract with Chinese firm Sinoma CDI, signed in February 2024, and incorporates the...
Siam City Cement Signs MoU
Siam City Cement Lanka and Southern Province Chief Secretary Chandima C. Muhandiramge signed a memorandum of understanding to raise construction standards in the region. The MoU, formalised by CEO Thusith Gunawarnasuriya at a ceremony in Galle, brings together engineers from...