The Americas

Due to an increase in operation costs over recent months, Carribean Cement Company has announced a 3.2% increase in prices.

Three Cemex plants in the US have been awarded the 2010 ENERGY STAR® for their superior energy performance and the group has been awarded the Big Tick for responsible business practice.

Holcim (US) hosted the inaugural celebration of its newest plant in Ste Genevieve County, Missouri on 4 June.

Summit Materials has announced a majority investment in Continental Cement Company in Missouri, USA.

On 5 June, Essroc’s Martinsburg will be holding an open house following the dedication of its new US$ 500 million plant upgrade.

A look at how metakaolin’s concrete-improving benefits create a practical path to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Cemex has revealed that through a perpetuals bond swap, it will reduce its net debt by some US$ 440 million.

Reports indicate that between 1990 and 2008, industrials was the only sector of the US economy in which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell.

Votorantim Cimentos has announced a plan to implement eight cement factories in seven states across Brazil. This brings its consolidated investment plans for the period 2007 – 13 to R$5 billion all told, calling for 22 new plants and some 7000 new jobs, direct and indirect.

Lafarge’s cement plant in Ontario, Canada, is implementing a scheme to plant multiple energy crops in a bid to reduce its carbon emissions.

Staten Island Terminal has been granted US$28 million funding for the construction of a cement import and distribution facility.

Cemex has proposed a new model for the development of affordable housing at the World Economic Forum on Latin America 2010 held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

Harsh conditions facing the cement industry are expected to persist throughout 2010 and beyond. In view of this, the US will be faced with some difficult decisions.

Roanoke Cement Company has switched off lighting on its preheater tower indefinitely to coincide with the fourth annual Earth Hour.

Brazil’s cement industry is expecting a massive boom as the country’s predicted infrastructure spend for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics will be at least US$ 55 billion, on top of which the government’s plans to invest US$ 85 billion in housing. What will be the impact on the country’s cement industry?