75 years ago…
75 years ago, on 9 February, 1928, Mr. Juan Molins Parera founded Cementos Molins, S.A. Now, after decades of constant evolution, we would like to look back over our history and pay tribute to its main figures.
The beginnings
Cementos Molins was founded to afford continuity to quarries and limestone and natural cement facilities located in Pallejà, Vallirana and Sant Vicenç dels Horts. Mr. Joaquín Molins Figueras, CEO since the Company was founded, and Chairman of the Board of Directors between 1934 and 1976, fostered the manufacture of cement and calcium aluminate, in accordance with a patent acquired from Lafarge. The new Company set up its first two reverbatory furnaces in 1929 and 1930.
Development
In 1943 a rotary kiln for the manufacture of Portland cement with a daily output of 50 tons was installed. This heralded a major qualitative leap for the future of the Company.
The decade of the 50s led to an increase in demand. To satisfy this demand, production volume was increased with the installation of two new furnaces. In 1952 a second Portland cement rotary kiln with a capacity of 150 Tm/day was brought into operation.
Between 1955 and 1959, three new calcium aluminate cement furnaces were installed to complement the existing two. Moreover, the sixth furnace was installed in 1965. In 1997 a new facility was set up and all the furnaces were shut down.
Between 1965 and 1974 the Company took a major quantitative leap. In this period three Portland cement furnaces were added; two with a production capacity of 900 Tm/day and the third with a yield of 3,000 Tm/day, thus increasing production capacity from 200 to 4,800 Tm/day.
The 70s were difficult for the Spanish cement sector, which was hit by a major crisis, and solutions had to be sought to palliate the effects of a complicated economic situation. Thus, Cementos Molins along with other companies that sought to sell production surpluses in other markets participated through Hispacement, S.A.,Portcemen, S.A.,Marítima de Cementos y Graneles,S.A., National Portland Cement, Co., Nigerian Spanish Cement Co., etc.
In 1976 Mr. Juan Molins Ribot was appointed President.
Expansion and diversification
During the 80s, Cementos Molins embarked upon a geographic expansion and product diversification which made the Company the leader of a large group of national and international companies.
Since 1980, we have been present in Argentina, together with Corporación Uniland, S.A. Both companies own 100% of Cementos Avellaneda, S.A. – with cement factories in Olavarría and San Luis - and of Compañía Uruguaya de Cemento Portland, S.A. –with a factory in Minas. Both companies have concrete plants.
Since 1988, and together with Buzzi Unicem, SPA, Cementos Molins owns 66% of Corporación Moctezuma, S.A. de C.V. It is a Mexican holding, a group consisting of several companies that focus their activity in the production and sale of cement, concrete and mortar. It has two cement plants, in Tepetzingo and Cerritos. Hormigones Moctezuma is the subsidiary responsible for producing and commercializing concrete. At present it has about 40 plants.
Together with Lafarge, and with the minority interest of multilateral entities (IFC, ADB, and local shareholders) we are developing a project in Bangladesh. It is the first state-of-the-art cement plant in the country, with a capacity of 1.2 million tones per year. It is situated on the Northeast of the country, near Sylhet. The quarry is in India and the raw materials are conveyed to the plant through a 17 kilometres long belt conveyor.
As has already been mentioned, Cementos Molins has not only diversified geographically. The range of products it offers has also been widened. Since 1987, apart from cement, Cementos Molins has also been engaged in concrete, aggregates, concrete prefabricated products, special mortars and tile cement.
Our activities are conducted through Cementos Molins Industrial, S.A., Promotora Mediterránea-2, S.A., Prefabricaciones y Contratas, S.A. and Propamsa, S.A. companies, all of them members of the Grupo Cementos Molins, S.A.
75 years behind us, and even more ahead of us
Since 1986, our President has been Mr. Casimiro Molins Ribot. By referring to all our Presidents over time, we aimed to symbolise each stage of this history of common undertaking. A history that would not have been possible without the grit and commitment of our collaborators and the trust of the customers and suppliers that have taken part in this adventure which has now been going on for 75 years. We would now like to thank all of them most sincerely for their dedication, and trust that this spirit of evolution will continue to be present in the history that lies ahead of Cementos Molins.
