It has been an extraordinary time for the world and our industry since Covid-19 began in early 2020. We’re still here. We’ve come through it. And, as ever, we’ll continue to work with our partners and clients. We’ve been affiliated with the cement industry since our beginning and through all the ups and downs since. We’ll be there with industry as it changes to meet increased demand, aging infrastructure and climate requirements.

We’re proud of the achievements our team has developed over the years. As pioneers in computer-based controls, we created the standards for integrating enterprise resource planning, and became an early player in laboratory information management systems. Our practices are the definition of Industry 4.0: seamless integration of technology and processes, transparent information management down to a granular level, technical assistance that is straightforward and accessible, and decentralized decision making enabled by advances in machine learning.

We’ve seen challenges in the market before: recessions, mergers and amalgamations and the trend to vertical industry. We’re committed to being there with our cement industry partners no matter what we face in the months and years ahead. We continue our research and development through exploring, testing, and using predictive modelling with alternative materials, and we’re moving machine learning closer and closer to guidance by artificial intelligence. Expansion of optimizing and securing shipments is well advanced, with new platforms for tracking and reporting in the cloud coming on line.

The importance of CO₂ footprint reduction and its impact on the perception of the industry is impossible to ignore and we will exploit every advancement available to us to help you make your operation energy efficient and responsible to community stakeholders’ requirements. Our need to build has never been greater, and our care of the planet must be in lock-step with our activities. Alternate and supplementary materials will help, and our proven ability to solve problems will be equally critical.

We look forward to conversations on how we can work together to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.