Europe
Hoffmann Green and Aquitanis Target Clinker-Free Housing
Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has agreed a partnership with Aquitanis to explore using its 0% clinker cements in housing and urban development projects. The agreement covers Nouvelle-Aquitaine, including potential applications within the territory served by Bordeaux Métropole’s public housing office. Hoffmann Green is a Vendée-based producer specialising in clinker-free cement, while Aquitanis operates as a public housing body and urban and social development organisation. The partners will now examine how Hoffmann Green’s cement technologies can be integrated into Aquitanis projects across the region. The partnership was announced on 28 September 2026, without identified projects, procurement volumes, investment figures or an implementation timetable.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Vicat Plans Acquisition of Cemex Concrete and Aggregates Assets in South-Eastern France
Vicat has entered exclusive negotiations to acquire Cemex’s ready-mix concrete and aggregates operations in South-Eastern France. The proposed deal covers 48 ready-mix concrete plants, nine aggregates quarries, related services and certain joint-venture interests across the Rhône Valley and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, including the Mediterranean corridor from Marseille to Nice. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2026, subject to employee consultation, final documentation and competition authority approval.
Source: Global Newswire
Aston University and Jesmonite Partner to Develop Low-Carbon Cement Alternatives
Jesmonite has partnered with Aston University under an Innovate UK-backed knowledge transfer partnership to investigate the use of biochar in its low-carbon acrylic materials, with the aim of developing them as an alternative to cement for construction applications including facades and surfaces. Researchers from Aston’s Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute and Department of Civil Engineering will work with Jesmonite to redevelop its materials to reduce their carbon footprint, while potentially enabling the company to expand further into the construction market.
Source: The Construction Index
Cyprus Cement’s Half-Year Profit Rises to €5.4m
Cyprus Cement has reported net profit of €5.4m for the first half of 2026, up from €4.64m a year earlier, primarily driven by its €5.9m share of profit from associate Vassiliko Cement Works, compared with €4.9m in H1 2025. Revenue increased to €207,000 from €193,000, while the company has cautioned that full-year results could be affected by market uncertainty.
Source: UA News
Asia
UltraTech’s Chhattisgarh Plant Reaches 100% Green Power Milestone
UltraTech Cement’s Kukurdih plant in Chhattisgarh has met all its electricity requirements through renewable energy and waste heat recovery every month since April, marking progress towards the company’s decarbonisation goals. The plant, commissioned in 2024, has annual grey cement capacity of 3.3Mt.
The achievement is part of a broader transition across UltraTech’s Indian operations. Nearly one-third of its 76 production units now obtain more than half their electricity from renewable energy and waste heat recovery, while five plants have surpassed 95% green power utilisation.
UltraTech is also expanding battery energy storage to support greater renewable power use. As of the first quarter of FY2026-27, its captive green power portfolio comprised 1,463MW of renewable capacity and 434MW of waste heat recovery capacity.
Source: S&P Global
Assam Clears JK Lakshmi Cement Plan
The Assam Cabinet approved JK Lakshmi Cement Limited’s ₹11,000 crore investment to establish a clinker manufacturing unit and four associated cement grinding units, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stating that the project is expected to generate about 2,000 direct jobs. The approvals will enable the company to proceed with project development and related industrial infrastructure in Assam. The Cabinet also sanctioned restoration and rehabilitation of at least 102 derelict community beels under a programme financed by a ₹637.504 crore Asian Development Bank loan and ₹159.376 crore in state funding. In Guwahati, it cleared a rent-based or pro bono arrangement for a Spices Board laboratory and ancillary infrastructure at Ulubari, supporting testing and services for the spice sector.
Source: ANI (Asian News International)
Shiva Cement to Merge with Parent JSW Cement
JSW Cement has announced plans to merge listed subsidiary Shiva Cement into the business, issuing five JSW Cement shares for every 41 Shiva Cement shares held by public shareholders. The merger, which is expected to complete within 12-14 months subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, is intended to consolidate financial, managerial, technical, distribution and marketing resources, strengthen backward integration through Shiva Cement’s clinker manufacturing facility and reduce administrative duplication.
Source: The Hindu
Ramco Cements Completes De-Bottlenecking Upgrades in Andhra Pradesh
Ramco Cements has completed de-bottlenecking upgrades at its integrated Jayanthipuram plant in Andhra Pradesh, increasing clinkerisation capacity by 1.01 MTPA to 5.62 MTPA and cement grinding capacity to 4.38 MTPA. The upgrades have increased the company’s aggregate clinkerisation capacity to 16.95 MTPA and support its target of reaching total cement capacity of 31.14 MTPA nationwide.
Source: Projects Today
North America
SESCO Cement Begins Full Commercial Operations at Port Tampa Bay Terminal
SESCO Cement has received the first two bulk cement vessels at its new Port Tampa Bay import terminal, bringing the facility’s major assets online and marking the start of full commercial operations following its opening in June. The terminal’s automated unloading, storage and truck-loading systems are designed to increase distribution capacity across Florida, while its two-port shipping route connects the company’s Tampa and Houston operations; once fully built out, the facility is expected to become Florida’s largest cement terminal.
Source: Maritime Logistics Professional
Latin America
Cemex Earns Fifth Fortune Change the World Listing
Cemex has been included in Fortune’s 2026 Change the World list for its freshwater-free concrete, earning the global building materials group its fifth recognition. The latest inclusion follows four previous appearances and singles out a concrete production approach designed to avoid freshwater use. Fortune selected Cemex on the strength of that water-focused innovation, placing the company’s concrete operations at the centre of the recognition. The product gives Cemex a route to manufacture concrete without drawing on freshwater, directly addressing water consumption in a core construction material. Cemex has also established its first circularity centre at a former quarry in Colombia, 70km south of Bogotá.
Source: Aggregates Business
Africa
Rising Cement Imports Put Pressure on South African Producers
South Africa’s cement industry is facing increasing competition from imports, particularly from Mozambique and Vietnam, with PPC warning that continued growth could undermine domestic production, employment and investment. PPC’s South Africa and Botswana cement sales volumes fell 8% year-on-year in the five months to August 2026, amid weak demand, high diesel costs and aggressive price competition.
South Africa’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) is investigating alleged dumping following applications from domestic producers including Sephaku Cement and Afrimat. Preliminary evidence cited alleged dumping margins of around 90% for Mozambique and 37% for Vietnam, alongside declines in local producers’ market share, sales, profitability and employment. The investigation has not yet determined that dumping occurred.
PPC argues that unchecked imports could discourage investment in South African production and potentially encourage manufacturers to locate capacity in neighbouring countries instead. The issue is particularly relevant as PPC invests in its RK3 integrated cement plant in the Western Cape.
Source: NHM
Ghana Building Cost Inflation Rises Despite Falling Cement Prices
Ghana’s building sector has recorded annual cost inflation of 4.6% in August 2026, up from 4.0% in July but well below 12.0% a year earlier, according to the Ghana Statistical Service. Materials inflation reached 5.8% and plant and equipment costs rose 17.9%, despite cement prices falling 7.1%, steel prices declining 8.9% and labour costs dropping 2.9% year-on-year.
Source: CNR