On December 12th, cement producers from across the globe came together in London to discuss the global challenges and future strategies for the world cement industry in the inaugural General Assembly of the World Cement Association, followed by the WCA World Cement Conference, in association with INTERCEM. More than 100 senior delegates from 29 countries attended the first edition of this global event.
After electing seven additional members of the Association’s Board during the WCA General Assembly in the morning, the day continued with the conference: “Future Strategies for the Cement Industry”.
The conference keynote speech was presented by Song Zhiping, newly-elected President of the World Cement Association and Chairman of China National Building Materials. He was introduced after a welcome speech by Malcom Shelbourne, CEO of INTERCEM and Emir Adiguzel, Chairman of WCA.
In his address, Song said he wants to unite members and urged the Association to actively strive for support from all sectors including governments and non-governmental organizations. He will also focus on safeguarding the interests of the industry, fulfilling social responsibilities and promoting the sustainable development of the global cement industry in the future.
The conference continued with four sessions focusing on cement industry issues from a broad perspective, including Future and Resilient Cities, Global Economic and Market Outlook, Environment/Sustainability and Digitalisation & Cybersecurity.
The prominent role of cement and concrete in a changing world characterized by increased urbanization, the clear long-term growth of construction outputs in Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East regions as well as the medium-term positive outlook for mature markets were some of the topics that drew significant attention from participants.
Strategies to deal with the sector’s current challenges, including overcapacity in the world cement industry, the need for a sustainable procurement approach in line with corporate policies, the high correlation between natural capital and the cement industry and the significant effect of digitalization on today’s businesses, including the importance of cyber security, were fundamental issues discussed with a view to enabling a more prosperous industry, society and environment.
