Economy & Market

US cement industry to grow by 4%

Published

10 years ago

September 21, 2016

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The PCA has confirmed that the US cement industry is on target to see annual cement consumption grow by 4 per cent, as projected earlier this year. According to the PCA, it is expected that cement consumption through the end of the year will continue at a steady pace, with additional demand coming from several areas, including moderate residential spending and, to a lesser extent, growth in non-residential and public construction activity. The PCA also said that favourable monetary policy from the Federal Reserve will support construction activity for the next two years.
"A key factor for continued growth for the cement industry is steady growth in construction spending, also projected to be up 4 per cent," said PCA Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Edward J Sullivan. "This is very much in line with the overall US economy’s slow-albeit-positive growth path."
Sullivan noted that PCA has forecasted growth despite some conflicting economic indicators from elsewhere in the economy. "Despite some ups and downs in the US economy, the underlying economic fundamentals are solid," he said.
For example, PCA noted the labour market has consistently seen a net monthly increase of roughly 200, 000 jobs, pushing the unemployment rate below 5 per cent. PCA also projects real GDP will grow 1.5 per cent in 2016, and 2.2 per cent in 2017.

Concrete

WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

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The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced SiloConnect as its newest associate corporate member, expanding its network of technology providers supporting digitalisation in the cement industry. SiloConnect offers smart sensor technology that provides real-time visibility of cement inventory levels at customer silos, enabling producers to monitor stock remotely and plan deliveries more efficiently. The solution helps companies move from reactive to proactive logistics, improving delivery planning, operational efficiency and safety by reducing manual inspections. The technology is already used by major cement producers such as Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials and is deployed across more than 30 countries worldwide.

Concrete

TotalEnergies and Holcim Launch Floating Solar Plant in Belgium

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

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TotalEnergies and Holcim have commissioned a floating solar power plant in Obourg, Belgium, built on a rehabilitated former chalk quarry that has been converted into a lake. The project has a generation capacity of 31 MW and produces around 30 GWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be used to power Holcim’s nearby industrial operations. The project is currently the largest floating solar installation in Europe dedicated entirely to industrial self-consumption. To ensure minimal impact on the surrounding landscape, more than 700 metres of horizontal directional drilling were used to connect the solar installation to the electrical substation. The project reflects ongoing collaboration between the two companies to support industrial decarbonisation through renewable energy solutions and innovative infrastructure development.

Concrete

Cortec® Corporation applauded for its strong safety performance

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

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Cortec® Corporation has been recognised for its strong safety performance, receiving its sixth Governor’s Workplace Safety Award for its outstanding performance in 2025. As a Silver Achievement recipient, the company continues to maintain safety metrics well above national industry averages, an impressive accomplishment for a chemical manufacturing organisation. This achievement reflects Cortec’s proactive approach to workplace safety, focused on early hazard detection and employee involvement. The company will be formally recognised at the Minnesota Safety and Health Conference in May, highlighting how industrial companies are effectively strengthening workplace safety standards.