Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. According to a recent PCA report, 77.3 percent of total American Recovery and Reinvestment Act highway funds have been dispersed through July, compared to 75.6 percent in June. July highway stimulus spending was $452 million, a 31 percent decrease from June’s spending rate. Against year-ago levels, July’s spending volumes declined 64 percent. Spending has…
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State economic recovery to vary depending on deficits, market strength
Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. The national economy is expected to recover during 2011-2012, generating 2.5 million jobs in 2011 and 2.7 million in 2012. However, due to the over-supply characteristics in residential and commercial markets, coupled with persistent state deficits, construction activity may encounter a more prolonged recovery. According to a recent PCA report, relatively flat conditions will…
Read MoreCement consumption forecast drops; lower prospective highway funding culprit
Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. Uncertainty regarding highway spending legislation and government policy related to the debt crisis has caused the PCA cement consumption forecast to be downgraded from a 1.4 percent increase over 2010 figures to 0.2 percent for 2011.
Read MorePCA: Cement Relief Act provides opportunity for thoughtful, appropriate regs
Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. In late July, Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) and Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), along with a bipartisan group of their colleagues, introduced the “Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011” (H.R. 2681). The legislation requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to re-propose three recent environmental rules directed at the portland cement industry.
Read MoreCemex asset swap helps TXI expand R-M, aggregates presence in central Texas
Sources: Texas Industries, Inc., Dallas; Cemex USA, Houston; CP staff TXI announced that its subsidiary has entered into an asset swap with Cemex USA, in which TXI will acquire the ready mix and aggregate operations of Cemex that serve the Austin metropolitan market. The transaction was finalized July 29 and brings TXI one aggregate and three ready mixed concrete plants.…
Read MoreFive Cemex USA plants receive Energy Star Awards
Source: Cemex USA, Houston Cemex announced recently that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have awarded five of the company’s U.S. cement manufacturing plants the 2011 Energy Star award.
Read MorePCA unveils online learning courses
Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. A leader in concrete and cement education for nearly a century, PCA is expanding its educational offerings with the debut of its online learning center.
Read MoreCement Totals-May 2011
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va. Total shipments of portland and blended cement in the United States and Puerto Rico were about 6.5 million mt in May 2011, according to the USGS. This was 2.5 percent higher compared with shipments for May 2010. Total shipments for the year through May were approximately 24.8 million mt, about 1.0 percent lower than…
Read MoreArizona’s Drake Cement consummates Peruvian parent’s U.S. entry
Officials of the Southwest’s newest integrated player held a mid-June grand opening for a $300 million, 600,000-plus-mtpy-capacity cement plant in northern Arizona. More than 10 years in the making, Drake Cement is located in Yavapai County, near the historic rail town of Paulden and 35 miles north of Prescott.
Read MoreDebt crisis could usher 13% cement consumption drop
Inaction by Congress and the White House on the federal debt ceiling could derail the fragile U.S. economic recovery, spurring a second recession and adversely impacting cement shipments, according to a recent Portland Cement Association report.
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