Cemex announced yesterday that it is undertaking a new US$300m investment in the Philippines involving the construction of a new 1.5Mta line at is Solid Plant in Luzon. The investment will double the capacity of the Solid plant and will represent a 25 per cent increase in Cemex's capacity in the Philippines.

With the recent visit of Fernando A. Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of Cemex and his executive team in the country, highlighted by a meeting with His Excellency President Benigno S. Aquino III, Cemex emphasised its continued commitment to the growth of the country. “We see a positive outlook in the business environment and we are committed to be a reliable cement supplier given the growing need for high quality building materials required for public infrastructure, commercial projects, and housing,” said Fernando A. Gonzalez.

Earlier this month, CEMEX Philippines officially inaugurated the completed capacity expansion in its APO plant in Cebu, the largest cement plant in the country, as well as a network of logistics centers in Visayas and Mindanao. The USS$80m investment increased Cemex's cement production capacity in its APO plant by 40 pe rcent, and helped improve distribution capabilities with additional terminals in Iloilo and Davao.

“We are preparing our facilities for the increasing demand in the Philippines, reiterating our commitment to support the development of the country,” said Joaquin Estrada, President of Cemex Asia. “We endeavour to be a partner of the Philippine government and the business community in ensuring growth and progress.”

In addition, Cemex Philippines has set up an US$18.6m waste heat-to-energy power plant which will capture the excess heat in one of its cement production facilities to produce usable electricity. To date, Cemex Philippines is already using alternative fuels such as rice husks and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) as part of its fuel mix to minimize energy costs.

Cemex Philippines President Pedro Palomino remains optimistic with all these developments within the company, “we are definitely here for the long run and we remain committed to helping build a better future for the Philippines”, he stressed.