Friday, December 14, 2012

European Group Hopes to Reform the African Cement/Concrete Industry



In the cement industry there's always new advancements that manage to amaze people.  Movers and shakers in the cement business like Alexander Bouri of Seament and Bernd Scheifele of HeidelbergCement are always looking for new ways to improve their products.  Cement is essential in today's world, our largest cities and smallest towns all depend on well-made cement to keep their buildings together.  As the world population continues to grow the demand for cement will rise substantially, and some groups are already thinking of ways to ensure that people have access to the building materials they need.

The Spearhead Network for Innovative, Clean and Safe Cement and Concrete Technologies (SPIN) is n project funded by the European Commission to address the need of establishing a solid cement and concrete industry in Africa.  The cement/concrete market in the eastern, central, and southern regions of Africa in its current state is inefficient.  Producers, suppliers, contractors, builders, unions, government workers, and even educational institutions all try to control the industry in their own ways.  The splintered market has caused a significant decrease in the quality of cement and concrete which has made buildings prone to damage.  Cement prices are much higher in Africa than they are in Europe and North America, but with Africa's wealth of cement making materials and cheap manpower it shouldn't be.

The SPIN organization is trying to stabilize the African cement/concrete industry by sharing efficient and environmentally friendly European cement/concrete manufacturing techniques.  They also hope to get leading industries, research institutions, and government workers from both continents working together so they can benefit from each other's work.   The group will be holding their first international conference in 2012 to discuss the future of cement/concrete and the role it plays in our society.

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