Mexico-based construction materials giant Cemex is planning to cut 6.0% of its workforce worldwide as part of a wider reorganization. Reuters reported the world’s third-largest cement maker said it hopes to generate $400 million in additional cash flow by the end of 2012 through cutting costs and improving underperforming businesses. The company employs about 46,500 people across the globe and…
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New edition of Innovations in Portland Cement Manufacturing addresses today’s challenges
The new edition of Portland Cement Association’s Innovations in Portland Cement Manufacturing was released during the 2011 IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference, May 22-25, in St. Louis, Mo. The fully revised second edition highlights the complex challenges facing cement manufacturers in today’s regulatory and manufacturing arenas.
Read More$225,000 EPA grant moves recycled glass cement substitute toward market
On the heels of research detailed in its “Value-Added Use of Milled Mixed-Color Waste Glass as a Supplementary Cementitious Material in Environmentally Friendly and Energy-Efficient Concrete Building Construction” report, Lansing, Mich.-based Technova Corp. is among 10 recipients sharing $2.25 million in grants under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
Read MoreCementos Argos becomes second major stakeholder in Class C ash formulator Ceratech
Only three months after announcing that third-largest coal producer Alpha Natural Resources had acquired 10.3% of its business (with an option to increase the stake to 28.3% under certain future terms), Ceratech Inc., Alexandria, Va., has accepted another strategic equity investment from Colombian cement giant Cementos Argos, the fourth-largest U.S. concrete producer.
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. Additionally PCA Chief Economic Ed Sullivan’s recent forecast indicates 2012 figures will be nearly flat as well, with…
Read MorePCA economist: Debt crisis could usher 13 percent cement consumption drop over 2011-12
Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; Staff reports 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 PCA report.
Read MoreCanadian cement consumption on the decline
Source: Portland Cement Assoication, Skokie, Ill. According to a recent report by PCA, a weaker assessment for the U.S. economy in tandem with a slower Canadian construction outlook suggests Canadian cement consumption will not perform as previously anticipated.
Read MoreVance joins Ash Grove Cement
Source: Ash Grove Cement Co., Overland Park, Kan. Ash Grove Cement announced recently that J. Randall “Randy” Vance is joining the company as its senior vice president of administration in the company’s home office. In his new role, Vance will direct finance, treasury, tax, information technology and human resources. “Randy brings two decades of corporate finance leadership experience and skills…
Read MoreRegistration still open for Concrete Sustainability Conference
Source: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md. The 2011 International Concrete Sustainability Conference, hosted by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association takes place August 9-11, in Cambridge, Mass., at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus. The sixth annual Conference will provide learning and networking opportunities on the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research,…
Read MoreIEEE West Coast set for October 13-14 in Texarkana, Texas
Source: IEEE West Coast The 2011 IEEE West Coast Conference Committee has assembled an informative technical session focusing on the latest issues affecting the cement industry. Set for Oct. 13-14, this year’s conference will take place in Texarkana, Texas, central to a large number of cement facilities. The event provides the opportunity and the technical venue where vendors and cement…
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