Introduction

CEMEX supplies building materials. It is one of the world’s largest in this field. It works in over 50 countries and employs more than 60,000. Cement is used to make concrete. Concrete is the most consumed substance in the world after water. Concrete can be made on site or supplied ready-mixed. The first company to supply this service was Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC). CEMEX bought RMC in 2005. CEMEX both locates and carries out its operations in a sustainable way.

Sectors

CEMEX’s business covers all three sectors of industry:

• Primary. CEMEX quarries materials. This process has to fit in with the government’s Regional Minerals Plan. This ensures a fair balance of extraction across regions. CEMEX also dredges material from the seabed.
• Secondary. CEMEX prepares aggregates and makes cement and ready mixed products. Cement plants need planning permission. They are regulated by the Environment Agency.
• Tertiary. CEMEX transports products and sells to other businesses. It makes more than four million deliveries a year in the UK. This makes it one of the countries biggest transport operators.

Location

Industry needs to locate where both its costs and its impact can be kept low. This may mean closer to customers, or closer to raw materials. CEMEX locates plants near raw materials. This reduces transport costs and impact. When there is a large project, CEMEX may take a different line. The plant for the Wembley Stadium project was based at Wembley itself.

Sustainable location

CEMEX can only site quarries where material naturally occurs. It can, however, make other activities more sustainable. CEMEX invests around £60 million a year in the UK. For example, it uses:

• rail for many journeys.
• water (sea, rivers and pipelines) where it can
• alternative fuels such as old tyres and household waste to heat its kilns.
• waste from other industries as fuel to reduce its carbon footprint.

Impacts

Much of the investment is aimed at reducing environmental impact. CEMEX looks at seven key areas. It looks at how it can:

• reduce emissions
• use less energy
• develop new and better products
• improve efficiency at plants and quarries;
• contribute to the community
• engage its staff to support communities
• communicate better with stakeholders.

CEMEX is careful about how sites are restored once they are worked out. CEMEX Angling consists of restored sand and gravel pits. Eversley Quarry in Hampshire has been restored to provide a nature reserve, golf course and other sports. At Barrington, the entire quarry is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Conclusion

CEMEX provides essential building materials. It reduces its impact on the environment in many ways. It focuses on seven key factors to achieve this. Its success can be measured by its clear commitment to improve.