16 November 2007
CEMEX UK Opens New 'Cutting Edge' Concrete Factory At West Calder

Building materials provider CEMEX UK today opened a new, state-of-the-art concrete block and paving factory at West Calder near Livingston in Scotland. The £5million factory, which represents a significant investment in the region and has created 10 new jobs, will produce 1.2 million square metres worth of blocks and pavers, enough to fill 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools every year.

The official opening ceremony was performed by local Member of Parliament, Jim Devine, in the company of local councillors and the West Lothian Provost, while children from nearby St Mary's Primary School helped mark the occasion by planting 100 trees, as part of CEMEX's commitment to sustainable development.

CEMEX's new, purpose-built plant is strategically placed for supplying the growing number of customers, including builders merchants, house builders and contractors across Scotland and the North of England. It covers a 2,000 square metre area, replaces the company's 24 year old facility on-site and is contained within a warehouse to minimise noise and visual impact. It is fully automated using state of the art controls to ensure that high standards are maintained throughout the production process.

The £5m investment at West Calder is part of CEMEX's £60 million national investment programme which aims to create a company focused on technical excellence, quality and service.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

1. PHOTOGRAPHS:
For further information and photos, please contact Elizabeth Young tel. 01932 583214 email. elizabeth.young@ext.cemex.com.

2. FUTHER FACTORY DETAILS:

• West Calder's block and paving machine is the biggest available. It weighs 20 tonnes and can produce eight million blocks and 20 million pavers a year.
• New vapour technology allows for rapid curing of 92,000 blocks at any one time.
• The new design allows work on the computerised production line in a quiet environment.
• A dust extraction system ensures that the air is clean, to make for a better work environment, avoid product contamination and minimise machinery damage.
• Flexibility means that moulds can easily be changed, and that volumes and proportion adjustments can quickly be made, depending on customer demand.
• West Calder will produce products for industrial and domestic uses, from private drives to large pedestrian areas, including Uni-Ecoloc, a permeable paving system which allows for water drainage and Uni-Block, interlocking paving, which can be laid in any pattern.

3. CEMEX
CEMEX is a global building solutions company and leading supplier of cement, ready-mixed concrete and aggregates. In the UK, CEMEX also has a significant share of the asphalt, concrete block and mortar markets. The company has a national supply network in the UK with over 500 locations, to ensure that quality building materials is available to customers locally. In Scotland, CEMEX employs nearly 400 people in quarrying, ready-mixed concrete, logistics, road building and maintenance. For more information, see www.cemex.co.uk and www.cemex.com