Total shipments of portland and blended cement, including imports, in the United States and Puerto Rico in January 2024 were an estimated 5.89 million metric tons (Mt), a 14.3% decrease from revised shipments in January 2023, according to the most recent USGS Mineral Industry Survey. Of total blended tonnage reported in January 2024, 2.7 Mt (98%) was estimated to be portland-limestone cement (Type IL); the leading destination for Type IL shipments by tonnage year-to-date was Texas.  The leading producing states for portland and blended cement in January 2024 were, in descending order ..read more

GCC, a supplier and producer of cement and concrete in the United States and Mexico, announced positive results for the first quarter of 2024. Consolidated net sales increased 11.9% year over year to $272.8 million. U.S. sales grew 17% in the quarter as cement and concrete volumes rose 8.3% and 5.6%, respectively. Cement and concrete prices in the U.S. increased 5.7% and 12%, respectively, during the first quarter. Meanwhile, Mexico sales increased 4% reflecting a 4.9% and 8.6% increase in cement and concrete prices, respectively. “GCC delivered a solid first quarter, marked by record sales an ..read more

Holcim US announced eight recipients of the 41st annual Gygi and von Wyss Foundation Scholarship, an award that supports the college educations of employees’ children. Each student will receive a $6,000 scholarship and will be eligible to continue receiving the scholarship for an additional three years based on continuous academic performance. “The 2024 Gygi and von Wyss Foundation Scholarship recipients demonstrated remarkable academic and extracurricular achievements,” said Toufic Tabbara, region head, Holcim North America. “Empowering our employees means investing in their families’ futures ..read more

thyssenkrupp appointed Christian Myland as the new chief executive officer of thyssenkrupp Polysius, effective June 1. He succeeds Pablo Hofelich, who has decided to take on a new professional challenge outside the company. Christian Myland “Christian Myland has stabilized and modernized our Uhde High Pressure Technologies business unit with its global project activities, sophisticated technologies and in-house production in Hagen and significantly improved its performance – both in new business and in the service business,” said Miguel López, CEO of thyssenkrupp AG. “He is therefore ideally q ..read more

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has asked the state’s environmental agency to halt approving permits for cement plants until the 2025 legislative session, reported The Texas Tribune. Patrick sent a letter to Jon Niermann, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) chair, expressing concerns for a proposed 600-acre Black Mountain Cement plant and quarry in Grayson County. He wrote that the community remained unconvinced of the agency’s review of the plant’s air quality impact, and also worry about the project’s impact on the water quality. Additionally, Patrick is concerned about the ..read more

The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced the first line-up of speakers for its annual conference and exhibition, taking place on May 18 and 19, at the Hilton Nanjing Niushoushan, in Nanjing, China.  At this year’s conference, the WCA will address the various complex and pressing issues being faced by the cement industry through a range of presentations and panel sessions from industry experts. Speakers and panelists will include: Wei Rushan, WCA president and CNBM president and executive director, will be drawing on his extensive experience in strategies, investments and capital ..read more

Bruks Siwertell launched new, next-generation planned service agreements that are scalable to achieve optimal operational and maintenance strategies. “Our service agreements for bulk handling equipment allow an operator to focus on their core business, while benefiting from maintenance budget predictability, effective planning and scheduling, lower service costs and peace of mind, resting in the knowledge that an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) expert is on hand if needed,” said Daniel Frostberg, service director, Bruks Siwertell. “These new service agreements allow customers and partner ..read more

To coincide with the annual Spring Week gathering in Switzerland, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) launched a new online library of Innovandi Global Cement and Concrete Research Network (GCCRN) projects to provide transparent tracking of research progress. The library lists all the Core and Partner projects currently underway, as well as their scientific contributors and where the research has been mentioned in scientific publications. This list is current as of April 1. Under the Innovandi GCCRN, academic and industrial partners collaborate together on Core and Partner p ..read more

Boulder County, Colo., planning officials sent a letter on April 10 to Cemex terminating the company’s right to operate its cement plant near Lyons after a traffic study determined that increased traffic at the plant has created a hazard as well as improperly expanded operations. “Boulder County has issued a termination notice to Cemex, Inc. requiring the company to cease operations at their Lyons cement plant,” said Community Planning and Permitting Director Dale Case. “After a thorough investigation, we have determined that additional traffic at the plant has expanded Cemex operations.” The ..read more

The American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) is the newest World Cement Association (WCA) Affiliate Member, bringing front-line perspective of the concrete industry to fellow WCA member network.  Through education and advocacy efforts, ASCC aims to empower concrete contractors to achieve success, elevate standards, and positively impact the industry.  “ASCC looks forward to sharing experiences of supporting our members over the last 60 years with others in the [WCA] network,” said ASCC Executive Director Ray Hefner. “We remain committed to progress and empowering professionals ..read more