The World Cement Association has held its final board meeting of the year in Dubai, UAE, taking the opportunity to review progress made so far and set priorities for 2020 and beyond.

"This has been a very successful year for the WCA in which we've launched a number of exciting new initiatives and member benefits, and we look forward to building on that work next year," said Ian Riley, WCA CEO. "As our international membership continues to grow, we will create many more opportunities for organisations from all across the global cement ecosystem to come together, collaborate and share ideas and innovations, for the benefit of all."

A key focus for the organisation is on finding innovative means of reducing carbon emissions but also looking at how the cement industry can make a positive impact on the environment in other ways. This includes initiatives such as co-processing in cement kilns, to safely dispose of municipal waste in places where landfill is scarce, and enhancing biodiversity through quarry reclamation.

Directors also heard feedback from the WCA's first ever Member Forums, which focussed on Smart Plants & AI and on low-NOx technologies. Groups of members visited best-practice plants, received presentations and engaged in round table discussions to learn and exchange views with industry leaders in these fields.