Attention was focused on the future developments of the cement industry in the Middle East. For the event, an exhibition was organized with 34 stands at the city’s most prestigious hotel, the Grand Hyatt, where the concluding gala dinner was also held. Taking part in Cementech also allowed gaining further insight into the developments of the cement market in the United Arab Emirates and in Dubai in particular. Here, the production of cement has been increasingly enormously since 2005 and in 2008 the market will feel the impact of new plants. In the last 35 years, the intense building activity has changed the face of Dubai. In 2007, the population was twice that of 2000. This flourishing building activity stimulated the demand for cement in the UAE at a rate of growth of 25.5% between 2003 and 2007. At the end of 2007, the demand reached 17 mt/yr, for a consumption per capita of about eight times the European average of 500kg. In this expanding market, the domestic producers have struggled to keep up with the demand, with a consequent increase in imports and rise in prices. In response to this extraordinary growth in the demand for cement in the past five years in the UAE, the cement industry is engaged in an important programme to expand its productive capacity. As a result, the nominal capacity of clinker has more than doubled in the past three years to 16.2 mt/yr at the end of last year. The grinding capacity has increased by 135% from 15.6 mt/y in the past three years to 27 mt/yr at the end of 2007. By the end of 2008, there will be a total of 19 plants, 10 of which completely integrated with a total cement production capacity of 31.9 mt/yr. Union Cement Company, followed by Gulf Cement Company, are the market leaders and both have recently completed the largest expansion projects, including a new 10,000 ton/day line in Ras Al Khaimah, built by the China Na- tional Building Material Equipment Corp (CBMEC). Nine companies have grinding plants which will have a production of about 10 mt/yr by the end of the year. The UAE market has mainly had local producers, but recently the world’s three largest operators have entered the market as producers. Cemex - Holcim - Lafarfge
Over the next five years, a highly competitive scenario will take shape. with an excess of production causing greater supply than demand: on the industrial scene there will be some changes in store for some companies and great opportunities for others.
