Our History
Timeline of CEMEX History
1906 |
CEMEX is founded in 1906 with the opening of the Cementos Hidalgo plant in northern Mexico. |
1909 |
CEMEX doubles the annual production capacity at the Cementos Hidalgo plant to 66,000 tons. |
1912 |
The Mexican Revolution causes CEMEX to halt production at the Cementos Hidalgo plant; the lack of available energy, communication channels, and human resources prevent the company from profitably distributing cement. |
1919 |
In the face of a difficult political and economic environment, CEMEX resumes partial production at the Cementos Hidalgo plant. |
1920 |
Cementos Portland Monterrey initiates operations with 20,000 tons of annual production capacity. |
1921 |
In February, CEMEX resumes full production at the Cementos Hidalgo plant. |
1930 |
With the installation of a second kiln, CEMEX expands the production capacity of its Monterrey plant 100 percent to meet demand in northeastern Mexico. |
1931 |
Cementos Hidalgo and Cementos Portland Monterrey merge to form Cementos Mexicanos S.A. |
1943 |
CEMEX’s Monterrey plant expands its production capacity to 250 tons daily. |
1948 |
CEMEX’s annual production capacity reaches 124,000 tons, a nearly fourfold increase from 1906. |
1951 |
With a production capacity of 300 tons daily, the fourth kiln at CEMEX’s Monterrey plant initiates operation. |
1956 |
CEMEX commemorates its 50th anniversary of supporting Mexico’s construction industry. |
1959 |
With the expansion of its Monterrey plant, CEMEX sells 230,420 tons of gray cement and 14,692 tons of white cement for the year. |
1960 |
CEMEX’s Monterrey plant expands its production capacity to 500 tons per day. |
1966 |
CEMEX acquires Cementos Maya’s plant in Mérida and continues to satisfy demand in southern mexico through the Cemento Portland Maya brand. |
1966 |
CEMEX starts production at its new Valles plant which serves the Huasteca region of Mexico through the Cemento Portland Monterrey brand. |
1967 |
CEMEX initiates production at its Torréon cement plant to satisfy growing demand in northeastern Mexico through the Cemento Puzolana Monterrey and Cemento Portland Monterrey brands. |
1971 |
CEMEX’s Torréon plant begins production at its second kiln. With a production capacity of 1,250 tons per day, the kiln features a two-phase pre-heater. |
1972 |
CEMEX’s Monterrey and Mérida plants initiate production at their new kilns. The kilns feature modern two-phase pre-heaters and each produce approximately 1,250 tons daily. |
1973 |
CEMEX acquires the Cementos Portland del Bajío plant in central Mexico. |
1974 |
CEMEX’s Monterrey plant begins production at its eighth kiln. With an installed production capacity of 1,300 tons per day–the kiln features a four-phase pre-heater and an electrostatic precipitator. |
1976 |
CEMEX lists on the Mexican stock exchange and becomes Mexico’s market leader with the acquisition of Cementos Guadalajara. |
1978 |
CEMEX’s Monterrey and Mérida plants initiate production at their ninth and second kilns, respectively. |
1979 |
CEMEX’s Torréon and Ensenada plants initiate production at their third kilns. With an installed capacity of 1,300 tons per day, each kiln uses a four-phased pre-heater. |
1981 |
With an installed capacity of 2,200 tons per day, a new kiln in CEMEX’s Valles plan starts operations. |
1982 |
CEMEX’s Monterrey and Torréon plants initiate production at their tenth and fourth kilns, respectively. The kilns four-stage pre-heaters and pre-calcinators represent important technological advances for the company; by enabling the de-carbonation of up to 90% of the plants’ raw materials and reducing the size of kilns, they offer cost savings in installation and spare parts. Each plants installed production capacity is 2,200 tons per day. |
1983 |
CEMEX’s Guadalajara plant begins production at its fourth kiln. With a production capacity of 2,200 tons daily, the kiln features both four-stage pre-heater and pre-calcinator. |
1985 |
For the first time, CEMEX’s annual sales exceed 6.7 million tons of cement and clinker, and the annual sales of three cement plants–Monterrey, Guadalajara and Torréon–each surpass 1 million tons. |
1985 |
In a country of growing conglomerates, CEMEX decides to divest non-core assets. |
1985 |
CEMEX exports reach 574 thousand tons of cement and clinker a year. |
1986 |
CEMEX begins production at its Huichapan plant–using the most advanced industry technology–and distributes cement to builders in the central part of Mexico. With the plants annual production capacity of more than 1 million tons of cement, the company’s installed capacity exceeds 10.7 million tons a year. |
1986 |
Through co-investments with North American cement companies, CEMEX consolidates its export program. |
1987 |
CEMEX acquires Cementos Anáhuac and dispatches the companies first post-merger-integration team to consolidate the new operations. |
1987 |
CEMEX begins the deployment of a company-wide satellite communications system, CEMEXNet. |
1989 |
The acquisition of Cementos Tolteca, Mexico’s second-largest cement producer, CEMEX becomes one of the ten largest cement companies in the world. |
1992 |
With the acquisition of Valenciana and Sanson, Spain’s two largest cement companies, CEMEX initiates its international expansion into the European market. |
1992 |
CEMEX establishes Neoris (formerly Cemtec) to serve as its in-house supplier of information-technology services. |
1994 |
The acquisition of Vencemos, Venezuela’s largest cement company, CEMEX begins operations in South America. |
1994 |
With the acquisition of Cemento Bayano in Panama, CEMEX initiates operations in Central America. |
1994 |
CEMEX expands its operations by acquiring Balcones, a cement plant in the USA. |
1994 |
CEMEX launches its alternative fuels strategy and begins converting its plants to enable them to use petroleum coke. |
1994 |
CEMEX formally establishes its ecoefficiency program, the cornerstone of its sustainable development strategy. |
1995 |
With the acquisition of the Dominican republic’s leading cement company, Cementos Nacionales, CEMEX establishes operations in the Caribbean. |
1996 |
CEMEX becomes the worlds third largest cement company with the acquisition of Colombia’s Cementos Diamante and Samper. |
1997 |
CEMEX initiates operations in Asia with the acquisition of Rizal Cement in the Philippines. |
1999 |
CEMEX acquires APO cement in the Philippines and increases its investment in Rizal Cement. |
1999 |
CEMEX begins operations in Africa with the acquisition of the Assiut Cement Company, one of Egypt’s leading cement producers. |
1999 |
By acquiring Cementos del Pacifico, Costa Rica’s largest cement producer, CEMEX consolidates its presence in Central America and the Caribbean. |
1999 |
CEMEX lists on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “CX”. |
2000 |
CEMEX becomes north Americas largest cement producer with the acquisition of the US-based Southdown. |
2000 |
The company launches its CEMEX Way initiative to identify, incorporate and execute standardized best practices throughout the organization. |
2000 |
Standard & Poor’s upgrades CEMEX’s credit rating to investment grade. |
2001 |
CEMEX increases its presence in Central America by initiating operations in Nicaragua. |
2001 |
With the acquisition of Saraburi Cement Company in Thailand, CEMEX reinforces its position in Asian markets. |
2001 |
CEMEX rolls out its Construrama commercial network, which by year-end grows into Mexico's largest construction-materials chain. |
2001 |
CEMEX initiates online customer service, enabling clients to place orders, purchase products, and access services electronically. |
2002 |
By acquiring Puerto Rican Cement Company, CEMEX enhances its position in the Caribbean. |
2003 |
CEMEX launches its company-wide procurement process and global sourcing office for consolidated international negotiations. |
2005 |
CEMEX doubles its size with the acquisition of RMC, adding 20 mainly European markets. |
2006 |
More than 50,000 CEMEX employees celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary. |
2007 |
CEMEX initiates the integration of Rinker. |
2010 |
CEMEX overcomes the most complex financial crisis in recent history by adapting its operations worldwide to the new market dynamics. |
2012 |
CEMEX lists its South and Central American operations on the Colombian Stock Exchange. |
2016 |
CEMEX lists its operations in the Philippines on the Philippine Stock Exchange. |
2016 |
CEMEX celebrates 110 years building a better future. |
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 $16 billion, employs over 50,000 people across more than 50 countries.
Information provided from www.cemex.com.