Holcim Reports Mixed 1Q26 Performance, Maintains 2026 Outlook
Holcim posted a 4.8% decline in Q1 2026 net sales to CHF 3.52 bn (≈$4.5 bn) and an 11% drop in recurring EBIT to CHF 431 m (≈$547 m), with the EBIT margin slipping to 12.2%. The downturn was uneven: Europe sales fell modestly, Latin America grew 3.9%, while the Asia‑Middle East‑Africa region contracted 24%. CEO Miljan Gutovic highlighted continued organic growth, cost discipline and demand for premium, sustainable products. The group completed five acquisitions, notably expanding its footprint in Peru and Colombia, and reaffirmed its 2026 outlook of 3‑5% organic net‑sales growth and 8‑10% organic EBIT growth.
BUA Cement 1Q26: Profits Double to NGN176bn
BUA Cement posted a 22.1% revenue increase to NGN 355 bn (≈US$2.6 bn) in Q1 2026, while profit after tax surged 117.4% to NGN 176.4 bn. EBITDA margin expanded to 53.9% as the firm limited total cost growth to 1.9%, well below inflation. A transport‑department realignment...
Kohat Cement Co Posts Lower Profit in 9MFY26
Kohat Cement Co Ltd reported a 20% year‑on‑year profit drop to PKR 7.4 billion (≈US$26.5 million) for the nine months ended FY26. Net sales were flat at PKR 28.9 billion (≈US$103 million) while total dispatches rose 9%, but an 8% decline in retention prices kept revenue...
Jamaica Moves to Stabilise Cement Supply After Weather Disruption
Jamaica’s Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC) has rolled out emergency measures to steady cement supplies after heavy rains halted production at Caribbean Cement Co. An incoming vessel originally bound for the Bahamas will be redirected to Jamaica on...
Baumit Boosts Efficiency with New EUR22m Raw Mill
Baumit Austria has commissioned a new raw meal mill at its Wopfing plant, investing EUR 22.6 million (≈ $24.6 million). The modernised mill improves operational reliability, reduces maintenance frequency, and secures raw material supply. Energy efficiency gains are projected to cut annual electricity use...
CarbonCure Technologies Appoints Yuliya Kravtsov as CEO
CarbonCure Technologies named Yuliya Kravtsov as chief executive officer, ending an interim period under Kristal Kaye. Kravtsov brings over 20 years of senior leadership in cement, most recently overseeing integration at CRH and holding roles at Holcim and Lafarge. Her appointment...
USG Supramax Freight Market Facing Uncertainty
The USG Supramax freight market experienced a volatile month, with spot rates spiking early due to rising bunker costs and Middle East tensions. Bunker price swings and limited vessel availability stalled the forward market, while the spot tonnage list grew...
Malaysian Government to Assess Impact of Increasing Construction Materials Costs
The Malaysian Ministry of Works announced a formal assessment of the surge in construction material prices, focusing on cement, steel and aggregates. The task force will quantify cost pressures on the nation’s $5 billion infrastructure pipeline and on affordable‑housing projects. Preliminary...
Heavy Rain Threatens Hurricane Reconstruction as Cement Supplies Dwindle
Heavy rain following Hurricane Melissa has crippled Caribbean Cement Company Ltd, turning raw materials into mud and clogging feed bins. Production has been sharply reduced just as Jamaica rushes to rebuild homes and infrastructure. The company projects a return to...
First Graphene Successful Trial of Graphene Cement Roof Tiles
First Graphene Ltd completed a five‑month production trial with FP McCann, creating over 10,000 graphene‑enhanced roof tiles using 40 tonnes of specialised cement. The trial showed carbon emissions could drop up to 14% and cement volume shrink by as much as 8%...
Carbon Upcycling Secures Funding for Inaugural Plant
Carbon Upcycling Technologies announced a $10 million asset‑backed financing round from ATEL Ventures to construct its first commercial‑scale plant at a major Canadian cement facility. The plant will capture CO₂ emissions and industrial waste, converting them into low‑carbon cement materials. Funding...
Yasin Tekinarslan Named as Cimpor Africa CEO
Cimpor Africa announced Yasin Tekinarslan as its new chief executive officer. Tekinarslan, a 2017 hire, previously served as regional manager for concrete and aggregates and as country director in Côte d’Ivoire. The group highlighted his track record of delivering sustainable...
Irish Cement Sector Targets 90% Fossil Fuel Reduction Through SRF Use
Ireland’s cement producers aim to cut fossil fuel use by up to 90% over the next 15 years by scaling solid recovered fuel (SRF) in kiln operations. In 2024 the sector burned roughly 325,000 tonnes of SRF, representing about 22%...
CURA and TITAN Partner to Validate Low-Carbon Cement Technology
Canadian clean‑tech firm CURA Climate and Australia’s TITAN Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate CURA’s electro‑chemical limestone‑splitting technology for low‑carbon cement and lime. The collaboration will start with laboratory validation of materials, then move to technical and...
Southeast Asian Cement Chiefs Balance Regional Growth with Energy and Alternative Fuel Transition
Southeast Asia’s cement sector is poised for modest growth as construction demand rebounds, driven by Thailand’s $6 bn infrastructure program and Vietnam’s 22% YoY dispatch increase. Producers are accelerating decarbonisation, with SCG Cement reaching a 45% alternative‑fuel mix and Indonesia rolling...
British Brick Deliveries Down by 18% in February
British brick manufacturers reported an 18 percent drop in deliveries for February, the steepest decline since the pandemic‑induced slowdown. The fall is linked to a lingering labor shortage, higher clay and fuel costs, and freight bottlenecks that have limited EU imports....
Vietnam Cement Production Rose 22% YoY in 1Q26
Vietnam’s cement sector posted a robust 22% year‑over‑year increase in the first quarter of 2026, delivering 18.29 Mt domestically and 28.32 Mt in total production. Exports surged 21% to 10.09 Mt, driven by strong demand from the United States, Singapore and the Philippines....
Yaobai Cement Uganda Set for Grand Opening in Moroto
Yaobai Cement Uganda is set to inaugurate a $300 million, state‑of‑the‑art cement plant in Moroto, marking a major industrial investment in northern Uganda. The facility’s phase‑one will produce over 600,000 tonnes of clinker per day, positioning the region as a new...
Ozinga’s East Chicago Facility Nears Completion
Ozinga’s new low‑carbon cement plant in East Chicago, Indiana, is nearing completion and slated to start operations in summer 2026. The facility will be the largest low‑carbon cement mill in North America, producing about one million tons of material annually....
Maple Leaf Cement Earnings Fall in 3QFY26
Maple Leaf Cement Factory Ltd reported a 3QFY26 net profit after tax of PKR 1.8 bn ($6.4 m), a 37% decline YoY and 43% drop QoQ. Consolidated net sales rose 14% QoQ to PKR 21.5 bn ($75 m) after the partial integration of PIOC, but overall...
CRH Completes London Delisting, Focuses on NYSE Listing
CRH has completed its removal from the London Stock Exchange, leaving the New York Stock Exchange as its sole listing venue. The Irish building‑materials group cancelled its London ordinary and preference shares after already exiting Euronext Dublin in 2023. CRH’s exclusive...
VICEM Targets AI-Led Safety and Emissions Reduction in Cement Operations
Vietnam Cement Corporation (VICEM) is rolling out artificial‑intelligence‑driven safety systems across its plants to monitor equipment, environment and worker behavior in real time. The AI platform will flag anomalies such as excessive vibration, temperature spikes or unsafe actions, allowing preventive...
Polish Cement Sector Faces Economic Strain
Poland’s cement industry is confronting a downturn, with output slated to drop 2% year‑over‑year to 16.8 Mt by 2026. Imports are set to top 2 Mt, largely from Ukrainian producers who enjoy lower operating costs. Domestic plants face energy bills that exceed...
Japan's Cement Industry Expects Historic Decline
Japan’s cement demand is set to fall to about 30 Mt by fiscal 2026, the lowest level since 1964 and far below the 1990 peak of 86.28 Mt. The slump is driven by 2024 work‑style reforms and overtime caps that lengthen construction...
UltraTech Cement Achieves Historic 200Mta Capacity Milestone in India
UltraTech Cement, part of the Aditya Birla Group, announced that its installed manufacturing capacity in India has surpassed 200 Mta, reaching 200.1 Mta after commissioning three new grinding units in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. The additions contribute 8.7 Mta, raising the...
Uruguay's ANCAP Presses Ahead with Cement Restructuring Amid Union Dispute
Uruguay’s state‑owned energy firm ANCAP has terminated negotiations with the construction union Sunca and the workers’ federation Fancap, opting to move forward with a restructuring of its Portland cement business. The cement division posted a $31 million loss in 2025, prompting...
SCG Vessel Clears Strait of Hormuz Following Diplomatic Intervention
Thailand’s Siam Cement Group (SCG) successfully transited one of its cargo vessels through the Strait of Hormuz after diplomatic intervention by Oman and Iran. The Thai foreign ministry confirmed the vessel cleared the strategic waterway, which is a critical conduit...
War and Outcome of Talks Dictate the Energy Markets – Petcoke Back in Expensive Zone Towards Coal
A cease‑fire between the United States and Iran has eased immediate oil market pressure, yet transport disruptions and damaged Middle‑East infrastructure keep the energy complex volatile. Brent crude sits at $92 per barrel, while coal prices have fallen sharply after...
Holcim New Zealand Opens New Dunedin Concrete Plant
Holcim New Zealand has commissioned a state‑of‑the‑art concrete batching plant in Dunedin, expanding its South Island footprint. The facility features energy‑efficient mixers and low‑carbon cement technology, positioning it to meet rising regional construction demand. Holcim expects the plant to improve...
Hybrid Heating Technology Offers Cement Producers Flexibility
Cement producer NOC Energy has introduced a hybrid electric heating system that can be retrofitted onto existing kilns, allowing plants to blend electricity with traditional fossil fuels. The induction‑based technology heats steel spheres to 1,200 °C and can reach 1,500 °C, while...
Oficemen Appoints Elena Guede as Executive Director
Spain’s cement manufacturers’ association, Oficemen, has named Elena Guede as its executive director, the first woman to lead the body. Guede succeeds a two‑decade tenure by Aniceto Zaragoza and arrives with more than 30 years of cement‑industry experience. Her career...
Mondi and Indocement Form Joint Venture to Expand Paper Bag Production in Indonesia
Mondi is forming a 60‑percent‑owned joint venture with Indonesia's cement giant Indocement to expand its paper‑bag production in Southeast Asia. The new entity, PT Mondi Indo Prakarsa Kemasan, will operate from Indocement’s Citeureup complex in West Java, with Indocement taking...
CCI Adilabad Workers Raise Closure Fears After Scrap Tender
Workers at Cement Corporation of India's Adilabad unit in Telangana fear a permanent shutdown after the Union government issued a tender to sell the plant’s machinery as scrap, valuing the assets at roughly INR 500 million (about US$6 million). The 1,200‑ton‑per‑day facility has...
Elpro International Acquires Stake in Ambuja Cements
Elpro International Ltd announced it has acquired a minority equity position in Ambuja Cements Ltd. The transaction involved 136,000 shares purchased for INR 60.2 million (approximately $0.72 million) and was settled in cash. This marks Elpro’s first foray into the cement sector as...
From Waste to Roof: Bamboo and Recycled Plastic Signal Circular Building Revolution
Circular construction is gaining momentum as bamboo and recycled‑plastic panels move from niche projects to mainstream use. Singapore’s inclusion at #10 on the Saville Material Reuse Maturity Index makes it the only Asian city in the global top‑10, underscoring policy...
CSN Moves to Next Phase of Cement Unit Sale Process
Brazil’s Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) will launch the binding‑bid phase for the sale of its cement arm, CSN Cimentos, within the next month. Non‑binding offers are due by the end of April, with shortlisted bidders to submit firm proposals by...
Amrize Expands ‘Made in America’ Cement Offering
Amrize has broadened its “Made in America” cement label to four additional plants, bringing the total to nine U.S. facilities that meet the domestic‑sourcing criteria. The new sites include locations in Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio, joining the original five...
Catalan Cement Sector Highlights Challenges of Meeting New Carbon Budgets
Albert Avellaneda, director of Ciment Catala, told a conference that most cement emissions stem from the chemical process, not energy, demanding a technological overhaul. He said achieving net‑zero will hinge on carbon capture, requiring about €400 million ($436 million) in investment with...
Hetauda Cement Halts Production Again Amid Coal Shortages
Hetauda Cement, Nepal’s state‑owned cement producer, has halted operations again because it ran out of coal. The plant requires roughly 120 tons of coal per day, but unpaid supplier invoices have prevented new deliveries. A brief restart in late March proved...
Irish Cement Solar Project Commences Operations at Platin Works
Irish Cement has commissioned a 1 MW rooftop solar array at its Platin Works, spanning two factory buildings. The system feeds electricity directly into the plant’s power supply, reducing reliance on grid energy. The project, conceived by the site team and...
Colombia’s Cement Consumption Expands 4% in February
Colombia’s cement consumption rose 4.4% year‑over‑year in February 2026, reaching 1.025 million tonnes. Bulk dispatches grew modestly 1.3%, while bagged cement sales surged 5.8%. Wholesale and retail channels posted a 6.9% increase, offset by a 5.1% decline in ready‑mix concrete sales...
Brazil’s Cement Market Expands 9% in March
Brazil’s cement market posted a robust 9.1% year‑over‑year increase in March 2026, reaching 5.789 Mt of sales. The surge was driven by a tight labour market, strong consumer confidence, and the Minha Casa Minha Vida housing programme, which now accounts for...
Nuvoco Vistas Q4 Profit Declines on Higher Costs
Nuvoco Vistas Corp posted a 30.6% year‑on‑year drop in standalone net profit to INR 8.02 bn ($96.3 m) for Q4 2026, despite an 11.9% rise in net revenue to INR 283.63 bn ($3.41 bn). Operating profit edged up 3.5% to INR 39.38 bn ($473.7 m), but the margin narrowed...
EU Climate Commissioner Visits Ecocem Flagship Plant in Dunkirk
EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra toured Ecocem’s flagship plant in Dunkirk, France, underscoring low‑carbon cement as a pillar of the EU’s industrial decarbonisation agenda. The facility is receiving a €50 million (≈$54 million) injection to roll out ACT technology, which can slash...
Peruvian Cement Deliveries Expand 17% in March 2026
Peruvian cement dispatches jumped 16.8% year‑over‑year to 1.117 Mt in March 2026, driven by a 17.2% rise in domestic production to 1.027 Mt. Clinker output edged up 1.9% while clinker exports exploded 188.5% to 105,200 t. Cement imports surged 31.1% to 70,718 t, with Vietnam...
Argentina’s Cement Consumption Grows 12% in March
Argentina’s cement consumption jumped 11.6% in March 2026, reaching 825,930 t, while domestic production rose 11% to 830,105 t. Imported cement surged 224.6% month‑over‑month, climbing to 198,000 t, even as total imports for the first quarter fell 68% YoY. Export volumes contracted sharply,...
Oman Cement Reports 1Q26 Profit of OMR3.5m
Oman Cement posted a net profit after tax of OMR 3.5 million (≈$9.1 million) for Q1 2026, with total revenues of OMR 18.3 million (≈$47.6 million). The results reflect a modest top‑line increase and an improved profit margin despite higher raw‑material costs. The company runs a 3.74 Mta...
MAECONOMY Raises EUR1.5m to Turn Construction Materials Into Auditable Circular Assets
Dutch start‑up MAECONOMY announced a €1.5 million (≈$1.6 million) funding round to fast‑track its digital platform that turns construction waste into auditable circular assets. The capital will be used to build market infrastructure, including APIs that link material provenance data with BIM...
Steppe Cement Reports Strong Growth and Market Share Gains in Kazakhstan
Steppe Cement Ltd posted a 16% market‑share rise in Kazakhstan in Q1 2026, up from 13.5% a year earlier. Sales jumped to about $19.5 million from 344,058 t, versus $12.7 million and 276,217 t in Q1 2025, while the average price per tonne rose to $57...
CalPortland Announces Temporary Layoffs at Redding Cement Plant
CalPortland announced temporary layoffs of 53 workers at its Redding cement plant due to a decline in cement demand across Northern California. The cuts affect 42 hourly and 11 salaried employees, with the layoff date set for June 15 but...