Cemex USA

Planning for the Environment, Air Quality Control, and Social Responsibility

Cemex is one of the world's leading cement and aggregates companies. Established in 1906 in Mexico, Cemex catapulted from 28th to the 3rd largest cement corporation in the world after its 2000 acquisition of Houston-based Southdown, Inc. Now, Cemex operates in over 50 countries, with strategic locations in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Years ago, no one would have thought that a Mexican company would make it big in the cement business.

Now a power player in the cement industry, Cemex is also the envy of its competitors when it comes to air quality, energy efficiency, business productivity, sustainability, and the environment. What makes Cemex stand out prominently in the cement industry is the fusion of its environment friendly programs and pro-safety policies for its employees.

As a solid testament to the company's successful implementations of its pro-environment business strategy and production, Cemex was awarded the much-coveted Gold Medal for International Corporate Environmental Achievement in 2002.

The Gold Medal for International Corporate Environmental Achievement award is given to companies that demonstrate exceptional leadership in the fields of environment conservation and protection.

Cemex USA takes the following steps to ensure business productivity without compromising air quality or environmental sustainability:

• Developing and executing new technology, pioneering production practices and new cement plant design;
• Careful mining procedures and optimal quarry exploitation;
• Recycling and reuse of materials;
• Employ of substitute raw materials, such as blast-furnace slag and fly ash, byproducts of steel manufacturing and power stations for better air quality control; and
• Reusing wastes as alternative fuels (petcoke, waste oils, used solvents, etc.).

Cemex's continuing commitment has also been proven by the series of awards it has garnered over the years: The Overall Environmental Excellence Award (Cemex Davenport 2008), Corporate Social Responsibility Award (2008), the Corporate Citizen of the Americas Award (2007), World Business Award (2006), and the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship (2005).