Centre for Management Technology to host conference on Middle East cement industry

As reported by 'The Peninsula' High oil prices are helping to accelerate the momentum of the Gulf region's construction sector and its rising contribution to individual country's GDP.

The Gulf countries alone account for more than 2100 existing and planned construction projects currently valued at US 1.2 trillion. The region is seeing a steady upturn in the GCC cement market with the enormous infrastructure growth from high profile building projects such as the Pearl Qatar project, Lusail Development project, Dubai Waterfront and Palm Deira.

The mind-boggling infrastructure investment has lead to a tremendous increase in cement production. UAE will emerge to be one of the largest producers with a yearly production of about 50 million tons and there are concerns if the production boost in Saudi Arabia will outstrip the demand.

The fear of oversupply due to massive expansions has forced Mideast producers to look at Africa as the potential buyer in the near future. Demand developments in Africa are taking huge strides with the region embarking on large infrastructure program.

As the region's construction industry continues to grow, and numerous billion dollar plus projects still to be built, the region's cement producers are heading for success. But as cement companies across the Middle East and North Africa embark on expansion plans with associated increased outputs, they need to look now at global distribution networks and developing new markets if they are to sustain current levels of success over the long term.

Invited to discuss the development of carbon emissions, which clearly remains a major debate topic for the industry in upcoming years is Fichtner, an engineering consultancy firm in Energy and Environmental Technology. An understudy of carbon market demand and reducing CO2 emission in cement production will be discussed. Another presentation on environmental issue will be given by Environmental Building Materials (EBM) who will speak on the utilization of fly ash as an additive to clinker.

Other topics will include market outlook and growth prospects for Dubai, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Africa, and South Asia, strategies on how to cope with the massive wave of capacity expansions and whether demand developments in Africa will create sustainable export opportunities for producers in the Middle East as well as freight rates analysis and trading issues.

Cement producers, traders, ready-mix concrete producers, raw materials suppliers, coal, slag, fly ash, steel companies, construction/infrastructure building analyst, banks, analysts, engineering & technology and equipment providers, cement transportation, dry bulk, bulk handling companies are expected to be present at this premier event.