Italcementi’s i.light cement for Thailand

The Italian pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai is displaying the light-transmitting properties of Italcementi’s new i.light cement. The Italian pavilion features 3774 panels made with 189 t of transparent cement. This cement is created by bonding special resins into a newly conceived mix that provides strength and insulation while being more transparent than the optical fibres experimentally used in construction. The transparent effect is clearest at night, when viewed from outside the building as interior light filters through the walls. During daytime, changing levels of sunlight can be observed from inside. “This transparent cement solution will be introduced into the Thai market by the end of the year”, said Somchai Larppichet, Sales and Marketing Director of Asia Cement Plc, a member of the Italcementi Group. Targeted niches are commercial buildings, shopping centres and museums. Somchai added that Asia Cement is shifting its business strategy from a cement producer to a cement solution provider to reposition itself in a new era of environment-friendly materials. Asia Cement expects its sales revenue to rise by 3-5% this year, in line with the industry’s growth projection, as a result of the government’s property stimulus measures.

Asia Cement is Thailand’s fourth largest cement producer with three production plants at Saraburi, Nakhon Sawan and Phetchaburi with a total capacity of 7 million tpa. It is aiming to maintain its share of 14 – 15 % in the Thai market this year. Domestic demand for cement in Thailand reached 25-26 million t last year but production capacity totaled 56.5 million t.

Somchai also mentioned that the company will increase its efforts to promote its TX Active photocatalytic cement product in the country later this year, after being appointed as the local exclusive distributor by Italcementi.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/asia-pacific-rim/27052010/italcementi%E2%80%99s_i-light_cement_for_thailand-/