The Boom and What Comes Next. By Ed Sullivan In the middle of a difficult period for housing and traditional nonresidential building, one sector has emerged as a force powerful enough to alter growth in regional cement markets. Growth in the construction of data centers in recent years has been extremely strong and does not appear to be slowing down…
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According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), total shipments of portland and blended cement, including imports, in the United States and Puerto Rico in January 2026 were an estimated 5.97 million metric tons (Mt), a 3.5% increase from revised shipments in January 2025. Of total blended tonnage reported year-to-date in 2026, 3.45 Mt (96%) was estimated to be portland-limestone cement…
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Under a new enterprise artificial intelligence transformation offering, Berlin-based alcemy GmbH will expand from a cement and concrete quality optimization program developer to a service provider helping producers build the data infrastructure, organizational capabilities, and AI platform required to unlock the industry’s full output potential. The alcemy Foundation Partnership launch rests on the emergence of large language model platforms powering…
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The Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) announced Masters Concrete as the inaugural winner of the Community Relations Excellence Award for Aggregate, Cement and Concrete Education. Marking the first time the award has been given, the company was recognized for its outstanding partnership with local youth to spotlight the industry. Masters Concrete earned the top honor for its initiative supporting…
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CalPortland Co. reported it has completed its previously announced acquisition of the Vulcan Materials ready-mix concrete business assets in the San Diego and San Francisco Bay areas. “The Vulcan Materials’ ready mix acquisition reflects a strategy positioning us for the long-term success of our company,” said Allen Hamblen, chief executive officer of CalPortland. “This strategic investment enhances our core capabilities,…
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Nancy Wright, vice president of business operations and engagement at New Economy Canada, joined the Cement Association of Canada on its podcast “Speaking Concretely.” The episode covers Canada’s clean energy transition, including: Listen to the full episode on Spotify or YouTube.
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The 2026 Western Cement Summit – Resilient By Design – by the California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA), takes place Sept. 14-15 at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, Newport Beach, Calif. The program has built-in networking time for cement and concrete professionals and for visiting with exhibitors. Highlights for Monday, Sept. 141:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. Highlights for Tuesday, Sept. 157:30 a.m. –…
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In the World Cement Association’s (WCA) latest episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, co-founder and chief solutions officer at Gigaton (formerly Carbon Re) and WCA Member, talks to Julie Larsen and Roger Hubeli, co-principals of APTUM and associate professors at Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, about the intersection of architecture, materials research and innovation in the built…
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Shipments of portland and blended cement were estimated to have increased by 7% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the first quarter of 2025, according to Jason Willett, commodity specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This information was obtained from the USGS monthly survey of U.S. cement producers. On the aggregates side, the estimated U.S. output of…
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Ash Grove representatives joined industry leaders and policymakers in Washington, D.C., for the 2026 American Cement Association (ACA) Cement Fly-In, where discussions focused on transportation infrastructure investment, domestic manufacturing, permitting reform and the importance of passing the BUILD America 250 Act before surface transportation authorization expires later this year. Representing Ash Grove, Monica Manolas, ACA board chair and Ash Grove…
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