Cements Molins has appointed a new CEO, Julio Rodríguez. Mr Rodríguez worked formerly at Schneider Electric and is since 1 July the first CEO outside the Molins family. He is expected to continue the overseas expansion of Cementos Molins. "If there is something we should do, it is to continue the growth plan. With new ideas, new investments, we'll see where, but with the growth plan."

Despite the pick-up in its home market of Spain, Cementos Molins is centring its investment in Latin America, particularly in Mexico, Bolivia and Argentina. In Mexico, the company is investing EUR100m in a new production line at its Veracruz works while in Bolivia, Molins is contributing EUR85m in a new plant. Meanwhile in Argentina, its subsidiary (in which it has a 51 per cent stake) Cementos Avellaneda, has earmarked EUR69m. Furthermore, investment in Uruguay has doubled to EUR12m.

In addition, the company has increased investment in Tunisia from EUR6m to EUR15m and in Bangladesh from EUR3m to EUR11m.