Continuous growth

Almost 600 delegates and 64 exhibiting companies visited ­Beirut/Lebanon on occasion of this year’s AUCBM con­-
ference (Fig. 1). At the opening ceremony, representatives of the organizing companies and institutions gave introductory talks and thanked supporting parties for their commitment (Fig. 2).

The first session was then started with an overview of the Lebanese industry. It was followed by a number of papers focussing on process optimization and environmental compliance. A cleaner production in the Arab Cement Industry was one of the major focuses. Solutions for reduced dust emissions at the production level as well as in the processing of the clinker and cement during dispatch were presented. The next session almost completely covered topics related to alternative fuel usage. New types of fuels require innovative approaches, both regarding the preparation of the fuels and their handling. The evening with a gala dinner held at the Biel Centre gave numerous possibilities for networking.

The first session on the second day covered papers on new grinding aids, high-capacity mills and new packaging concepts. The next session focussed on reducing environmental footprints by enhanced filtration solutions. Further emphasis was placed on storage solutions and life-cycle assessment as a tool to facilitate enhanced eco-management. The next session then covered the topics wear protection, innovative solutions for cooler modernisations, latest developments in rotary kiln ­burners and alternative gear box solutions. In addition, general ideas on designing projects in times of financial crises and the position of the Japanese cement industry were on the agenda.

The third day’s sessions covered new approaches in analytics and sustainable development. Only with sound analytical solutions or emission monitoring techniques can sustainable development be achieved. The entire program can be seen at www.aucbm.org. During the entire conference the exhibition offered numerous possibilities for networking and technological exchange (Fig. 3). After the conference ZKG INTERNATIONAL discussed with Ahmad Al-Rousan, Secretary General of the AUCBM, about the future of the cement industry in the Arab region:

Ahmad Al-Rousan: The AUCBM started preparing for the conference at the beginning of 2009, when the international financial crisis began to materialize. At the time, we expected that the crisis would have an adverse effect on participation at the conference and exhibition, particularly since most of the participating and exhibiting companies are international corporations that are affected by the crisis. We first thought that the number of participants would not exceed 300. However, we reconsidered: how strong the impact of this crisis was on the Arab region; new projects and expansions in most countries in the region; the limited impact on cement consumption (except Dubai); the contracts of international companies with investors in these countries; and the great interest in environmental issues. All this made us believe that number of participants would exceed 300, which is what actually happened, with the number of delegates reaching around 566. At this point, I would like to add that the number of companies that requested stand reservation exceeded the number of stands available, which made several companies even decline participation due to non-availability of stands at the exhibition.

Ahmad Al-Rousan: It is well known that the conferences organized by AUCBM attract considerable participation from all over the world each year. As for the reasons behind the increased participation this year despite the impact of the economic crisis, we think they are the following:

– The impact of the financial crisis that spread all over the world was not so pronounced in the Arab region, the Middle East and the North Africa countries;

– The building and construction industry in these regions maintained a reasonable growth and at acceptable rates.

– The decline in demand for cement in these countries was marginal, excluding Dubai. Some countries, in particular Algeria and Egypt, registered a high growth rate in demand for cement, namely 15  % in Algeria and 26  % in Egypt.

– Continuation of expansion projects and construction of new plants.

– The importance of environmental themes which were dealt with at the conference.

All these reasons led to the fact that international suppliers, particularly the European suppliers, concentrated on the countries in these regions after their businesses in Europe and America declined. In this way, Arab and non-Arab countries in the Middle East became attractive to these companies, which made participation at this conference an excellent opportunity to build business relationships.

Ahmad Al-Rousan: The Arab cement industry has expanded considerably, particularly during the last three years, with design capacities reaching 164  million t of clinker and 195  million t of cement in 2008. They are even expected to increase in the coming years to reach 300 million t if all planned projects were executed. As for the very promising markets in the region, one can say that hope is focused on most of these markets, particularly Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq at a later stage.

Ahmad Al-Rousan: In terms of environmental aspects and the extent of the impact of the cement industry on the environment, the most urgent and exigent matter to work for is the sustainability of this industry, which is the core element of the building and construction sector. This requires the introduction of updated and modern technology to existing factories, especially those that are antiquated, finding energy substitutes, and abating gas and dust emissions. It is worth mentioning that many Arab cement factories are presently committed to environmental protection. In addirion, the AUCBM is currently coordinating with WBCSD for this purpose, and it will start monitoring emissions in factories by means of periodic reports.

Ahmad Al-Rousan: The United Arab Emirates, Ras Al-Khaimah Emirate, will be hosting the 16^th Arab International Cement Conference and Exhibition on 06.-08.12.2010.