In December 2020, the annual general meeting of the members of the Union of cement producers SOYUZCEMENT was held via videoconference. Representatives of key cement companies of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and experts from information and analytical centers of the industry took part in the meeting.
Pavel Servatinsky, Director of the Department of Metallurgy and Materials of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, addressed the members of the Union with a welcoming speech: “2020 was a difficult year for many industries, including manufacturers of building materials. But thanks to our joint and well-coordinated work, we managed to develop and implement effective anti-crisis measures for the cement industry, which made it possible to provide the construction industry with high-quality modern materials and mitigate the negative consequences for the market."
The main topics of the meeting were summing up the results of the Union's work in 2020, as well as setting goals and objectives for the next year. It was proposed to identify two priority areas of the Union's activities in 2021: improving the conformity assessment of cements (including additional regulatory mechanisms) and stimulating the construction of concrete roads and highways.
2021 was declared as the “Year of concrete roads”. The working plans the Union’s committees developed in 2020 were also approved: The Committee on Protective Measures in the Cement Industry, The Committee on Sustainable Development, The Committee on Road Construction, The Committee on Labor Protection and Industrial Safety.
“Despite new challenges and introduced restrictions, we carried on operating as continuous production cycle companies. We are grateful to the Government of the Russian Federation for the support measures that stimulate an increase in cement consumption. We see today how preferential mortgage rates have supported the demand for housing and ensured high workloads for construction companies. I am confident that the achievement of the goals set for 2021 will make our work even more efficient and productive,” emphasized Mikhail Skorokhod, Chairman of the Board of SOYUZCEMENT.
During the general meeting SOYUZCEMENT re-elected members of the managing bodies of the organization. The Management Board includes top managers of EUROCEMENT group, Gazmetallproekt, LafargeHolcim Russia, Sibcem, SLK Cement, AKKERMANN Cement, Vostokcement, Sebryakovcement, and Belarusian Cement Company.
