Europe, LatAm, Australia infrastructure projects to support cement demand: Holcim

Infrastructure investments in Europe, demand for mega construction projects in Latin America until 2030, and strong government infrastructure spending in Australia until 2028 will support cement demand going forward, Holcim said in a statement on July 31.

The company added that rising demand for housing and infrastructure, energy-efficient refurbishments of existing building stock, and increasing demand for sustainable and resilient construction were among the megatrends shaping the future of construction.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed CEMDEX Turkey at $55/mt FOB on July 24.

"We are best positioned to capture the tailwinds from powerful megatrends shaping the future of construction and to harness significant growth opportunities across attractive markets and in Building Solutions to achieve above-market growth," chairman Kim Fausing and CEO Miljan Gutovic said.

Holcim reported a 1.8% year-over-year increase in net sales in local currency during the first half of the year, supported by leading positions in highly attractive markets, a resilient local-for-local business model, and 11 value-accretive transactions.

In Europe, the company reported a 2.5% year-over-year drop in net sales in local currency to external customers during the first half of 2025 but said a robust infrastructure project pipeline and signs of recovery in the residential sector remain positive indicators.

In Latin America, the company saw strong net sales growth of 8.6% in local currency. "Ecuador, Central America, and newly acquired operations are expected to drive growth in H2, and there is a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects in Mexico," the company said.

Strong domestic demand in North Africa and demand for Holcim's low-carbon concrete and cement products across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa drove significant growth from a year ago. "Holcim is well-positioned to benefit from large-scale infrastructure projects across countries. There is strong demand in North Africa, a positive outlook in Australia, and pricing improvement is expected in China," the company said.

Holcim aims to grow net sales by 3% to 5% annually in local currency, with a key focus on expanding its high-value Building Solutions business. "Our target is to achieve a 50/50 net sales split between Building Materials and Building Solutions by 2030," the company said.

On the sustainability front, Holcim reported increased customer demand, with net sales of low-carbon ECOPact concrete rising to 31% of ready-mix net sales in the first half of the year, up from 25% in the prior-year period. Net sales of ECOPlanet increased to 35% of cement net sales from 32% in the first half of 2024.

In May, Holcim broke ground for OLYMPUS, an EU-supported carbon capture and storage project in Milaki, Greece. "OLYMPUS is being engineered to produce 2 million tons of near-zero cement per year, part of Holcim's commitment to produce more than 8 million tons of near-zero cement annually by 2030," the company said.

These were Holcim's first results published since it separated its North American business into a separate entity called Amrize on June 23.