SANTO DOMINGO – “Without cement, it is difficult to imagine how, for example, more abundant and efficient wind energy production can be achieved; how transportation infrastructure will support the movement of goods and people; and how the population can live with dignity under a roof that will last a lifetime,” declared the newly elected president of the Dominican Association of Portland Cement Producers (ADOCEM), engineer Giuseppe Maniscalco.
He added that this reality is not fully seen, often by those responsible for decision-making and the final consumer of the product, after highlighting the limited understanding that exists in society of the benefits of cement and concrete and its value chain.
Maniscalco, president of the Industrial Division of the ESTRELLA Group and leader of the cement, concrete and aggregates business units of PANAM, highlighted the capabilities and benefits of cement, indicating that "it far surpasses any other alternative product.".
He opined that the entire value chain, from quarrying, through the production and distribution of clinker and cement, to its use in the concrete and construction industry, is fundamentally a local business, in whose chain, he said, multiple actors intervene, generating employment and sustenance for more than 30,000 people.
"These actors (hardware stores, builders, transporters) benefit from a growing industry, that of cement, with an installed capacity that in the coming years will approach 10 million tons through the investments already defined by the companies that make up the sector.".
Upon assuming the position representing the cement industry in the Dominican Republic, he stated that the association will continue to position the product against others, highlighting the advantages it offers in terms of quality, strength, durability, and its positive impact on the country's competitiveness.
Maniscalco said he assumes the responsibility with the conviction that the ADOCEM team that has come together for the next two years is representative of the different realities and trends that make up the cement industry, committing to the achievement of its mission: To contribute to the sustained development of the construction sector by promoting the general interests of productive activity.
The new Board of Directors covers the period 2023-2025. It also includes José Antonio Cabrera of Cemex Dominicana, vice president; Jorge David Pérez of Argos Dominicana, secretary; Cruz Amalia Rodríguez of Cementos Cibao, treasurer; Adriano Brunetti of Domicem, member; and, as past president, Félix González of Cemento Santo Domingo.
ADOCEM also took the opportunity to discuss “Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities: The Latin American Challenge” with Colombian engineer Jorge Iván Tobón PhD.
Memoirs of Felix Gonzalez
ADOCEM's annual luncheon also served as a venue to present the institution's Memoirs and the management of past president Félix González, of Cemento Santo Domingo.
González thanked the member companies of ADOCEM and the Board of Directors and team that accompanied him during his administration, allowing him to place ADOCEM on the local and international map as the representative organization of the cement industry in the Dominican Republic.
“Over the past two years, our cost structure has been impacted by factors such as the international logistics crisis, the increase in primary fuels and raw materials, freight, and domestic inflation. However, we continue to strive to guarantee the continuity of our operations and therefore the security of supply that our country requires for its current and future development,” González emphasized.
