Cement
Cement is a substance with the ability to harden upon contact with water (hydration reaction). It is made by grinding clinker, gypsum and/or other cementitious materials into a fine powder. This fine powder consists of hydraulic calcium silicates and aluminates that when mixed with mineral aggregates (like sand, gravel or crushed stone) and water, act as the binding agent to form concrete.
TITAN produces Portland cement, masonry cement and other cementitious materials, such as processed fly ash. Through extensive R&D the Group is able to offer various types of blended cements for specific applications.
Ready-mix concrete
Concrete is produced by mixing cement, water, and aggregates. One cubic meter of concrete mixture contains approximately 300 kg of cement, 150 liters of water and 2 tons of aggregates. Depending on the admixture formula selected, the concrete produced has different properties aimed to address the Group’s customers’ diverse needs.
Aggregates
Aggregates include crushed stone, gravel and sand. Aggregates differ in their physical, mechanical and chemical properties, granularity and hardness. The main use of aggregates is the manufacture of concrete or concrete products, like building blocks. Other applications include the construction of roads, railway tracks etc.
Cement
Performance
In 2012 sales of cement, clinker and cementitious materials posted robust growth of 5% in the TITAN Group, reaching 16.1 million tons. This increase was driven by double-digit volume growth in the U.S. market and the recovery of export volumes, which in 2011 had been at exceptionally low levels due to the social and political upheaval of the countries of North Africa and the Middle East.
Ready-mix concrete
Performance
Ready-mix concrete volumes declined by 7% to 3.4 million cubic meters. Stronger performance in the Eastern Mediterranean was not enough to offset the decline of volumes in Greece, where demand decreased sharply for yet another year, and the decline in the region of Southeastern Europe.
Aggregates
Performance
Sales of aggregates were on par with those of the previous year at 10.9 million tons. Increased sales volume in the U.S.. market were offset by the dramatic decline of construction activity, and subsequent sales, in Greece.