Brazil: China-based Huaxin Cement has acquired Embu Engenharia e Comércio for US$186m. Migalhas News has reported that Embu Engenharia e Comércio mines 8.8Mt/yr of aggregates across its four quarries in São Paulo Metropolitan Region.
The completed acquisition marks the entry of the global top-10 cement producer into the Brazilian market. It previously acquired Brazil-based InterCement’s South African business in December 2023.
Azerbaijan: Ready-mix concrete production was 5.02Mt in 2024, up by 12% year-on-year from 2023 levels, Azer-Press News has reported. Production of precast concrete elements also grew, by 41% year-on-year, to 46,300m3.
Canada: Monitoring equipment supplier Giatec has launched MixPilot, the concrete industry's first non-invasive, self-calibrating in-transit slump sensor. The developer says that MixPilot provides real-time data on slump, temperature and volume. It also integrates with data management platforms.
Cyprus: Ready-mix concrete companies have raised their prices by 5%, following a wage settlement with workers in December 2024. Phileleftheros News has reported that this will correspond to extra costs of €4/m3 for customers.
Construction industry representatives reportedly claim that the rise in prices exceeds that of labour costs for concrete producers.
