Cemex hosted close to 70 customers at its first-ever building-materials forum Aug. 23 in Scottsdale, Ariz., sharing global knowledge and best practices with clients to help them prepare for upcoming changes in the construction industry.
The customers from the Phoenix area and the rest of Arizona attended the day-long forum, learning about Cemex safety practices, how to improve safety culture, and the latest products and services, along with global and regional trends Cemex sees inside the construction industry.
“I think it’s important to see what’s coming in our industry and work together to find solutions so we are ready for those changes,” said Eric Wittmann, Cemex USA regional president – West Region. “We’re working to lead innovation in products and technology for the building-materials industry, and these types of meetings help keep the dialogue open with our customers to better understand their needs.”
Cemex experts from across the West Region presented their insights about labor shortages in the industry, forecast growth in Arizona and how other changes can affect business planning. Economist Dr. Daniel Bachman, senior economist for Deloitte, delivered the keynote address for the event, providing an overview of U.S. and regional economic trends.
“There’s possibly a pent-up demand for housing in Arizona,” Bachman told the forum. “Arizona is seeing faster population and job growth than the rest of the U.S., but the housing market has not caught up to that growth.”
The event wrapped up with a panel discussion in which construction-industry experts shared the latest developments in the Arizona market, including changes in construction standards and how to tackle them.
Cemex has been active in Arizona for nearly 100 years and has provided materials for massive projects like the Tempe Town Lake Dam, Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, the new bridge over the Little Colorado River Gorge in Cameron, Ariz., and the Green Valley Hospital in the Santa Cruz Valley.
Cemex is expected to hold future forums in its West Region in the coming months.