Founded in Mexico in 1906, CEMEX has grown from a small regional player to one of the world’s top companies in the industry.

The first plant Cementos Hidalgo Plant was opened in 1906. In 1920 Cementos Portland Monterrey started operations with an annual production capacity of 20,000 tons.

CEMEX grew into a regional player by acquiring Cementos Maya in Merida and building a new plants in Ciudad Valles and Torreon between 1966 – 1967.

Between 1972 – 1973 CEMEX established a national presence with the installation of new kilns at its Merida and Monterrey plant and the acquisition of a plant in central Mexico.

In 1976 CEMEX made an initial public offering at the Mexican Stock Exchange. Later that year, CEMEX became Mexico’s market leader with the acquisition of Cementos Guardalajara.

1987 saw the acquisition of Cementos Anahua and started the implementation of a satellite system, CEMEXNet to connect the company’s facilities.

With the acquisition of Cementos Tolteca, Mexico’s largest cement producer, CEMEX became one of the ten largest cement producers in the world.

In 1992 CEMEX acquired Spain’s two largest cement plants.

In 1994 CEMEX acquired Venezuela’s largest cement company, which was ideally positioned for exports.

CEMEX then expanded into the USA operations by acquiring a cement plant in Texas and entered Panama with the acquisition of Cemento Bayano and ended 1995 having acquired Cementos Nacionales in Dominican Republic.

In 1996 CEMEX became the third largest cement company in the world with the acquisition of Cementos Diamante and Samper in Colombia.

Between 1998 – 1999 CEMEX acquired 25% interest in Indonesia’s larges cement producer. It also purchased APO Cement in the Philippines and an additional 40% economic interest in Rizal Cement.

Also in 1999 CEMEX formed CEMEX Asia Holdings (CAH), created to develop new partnerships and cement related business in Southeast Asia.

CEMEX was also listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol ‘CX’.

We consolidated our presence in Central America and the Caribbean by acquiring Costa Rica’s largest cement producer and by the end of the 1999 CEMEX had also acquired Assiut Cement Company of the cement producer leaders in Egypt.  

In 2000 CEMEX formalised the construction of a new grinding mill in Bangladesh. Standard and Poor’s upgraded CEMEX credit to an investment grade credit. We also became North Amercia’s largest cement producer by acquiring the USA based Southdown.Inc.

2001 saw CEMEX enter the Thai cement market by acquiring Saraburi Cement Company and in 2002 enhanced its position in the Caribbean by acquiring Puerto Rican Cement Company.

In 2005 CEMEX acquired the UK based RMC Group. This integration strengthened CEMEX’s presence in Europe and positioned the company all the way through the industry value chain.

In 2007 CEMEX acquired Rinker which enhanced our position across the value chain, improve our position the USA and provided a major presence in Australia.

You will see from this brief history that since the late 1980’s CEMEX has been growing year on year through acquisitions. The Global Credit Crisis has clearly affected the construction industry as a whole and CEMEX is part of that. In the last few years we have not been growing at the same pace that we are used to but we have positioned our business now to be ready for the upturn in the world’s economies

CEMEX annual sales are $14 billion, employs around 50,000 people across more than 50 countries.

Our core businesses are based on the extraction and supply of quarried materials, the production and supply of cement, readymix concrete and concrete products.

CEMEX continues to depend on the commitment and vision of its employees to drive the business forward. We are working to develop, maintain and enhance the building environment throughout the world and we are proud of the sustained international growth and success of our company.

We are keen to meet people who would like to contribute to CEMEX’s growth and share in its success.