ROCK HARD CEMENT

ROCK HARD CEMENT

BUILDING STRONGER

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ROCK HARD CEMENT

SOLID Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Darren Matthews, Brand Manager of Rock Hard Cement, about accessibility, quality, and environmental protection.

WHILE FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON THE CARIBBEAN, ROCK HARD CEMENT CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND GROW.

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Rock Hard Cement was founded by a Barbadian businessman and is a regional cement company. Through sustainable pricing, high-quality products, testing regimens and standards, along with a strong distribution network, Rock Hard Cement is able to consistently provide customers across the Caribbean region with high-quality cement.

Rock Hard Cement products have been utilized in large public and private construction projects. While focusing primarily on the Caribbean basin, Rock Hard Cement continues to expand and grow, distributing products to other, further-afield regions.

“Rock Hard Cement commenced operations in Barbados in 2015, after many years in the planning of the business.” says Darren Matthews, Brand Manager at Rock Hard Cement. “We entered the market because of the need to stop the monopolistic ways in which the sector had previously operated in the region. There was just one cement provider on the island and operating in the broader area at that time, and the pricing was

amongst the highest in the world and quality of an inconsistent nature. In our part of the world, we have a high demand for high-quality cement. It was therefore in our interest to start building a strong brand and distribution network to increase access to good quality and sustainable building cements.”

“Following on from the success in Barbados, we entered into Trinidad in 2016, which has also proven to be success for us as well as for the Trinidad market, which had also previously had only one cement provider and with the same challenges,” says Mr. Matthews.

“Our company is a tremendous benefit to the country, and we continue to gain market share and customer loyalty there. We have since expanded into Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Antigua, Dominica, and Sint Maarten, all with positive results.”

ROCK HARD BUILDINGS Rock Hard Cement products have been used for some of Barbados’ best-known new buildings. “Within our group, exists

the company that started it all,” explains Mr. Matthews. “That company is Preconco, a Barbadian owned, pre-cast company in operations since 1991, and the flagship of our group of companies. Preconco have exclusively used Rock Hard Cement since our inception in 2015. So all of their projects are Rock Hard projects, including The Crane Hotel and Resort, and Republic Bank. The developer of the Republic Bank project focuses significantly on sustainability, especially with regards to the building design itself, which is very rare in the Caribbean. That building in itself was an exercise in sustainable construction, including but not limited to solar energy and trying to generate additional energy to put back into the grid. The entire building is operated through these solar panels, deeming it fully environmentally friendly. Our other projects include condominiums, and we are tangentially involved in many ongoing projects throughout the countries where Rock Hard Cement is represented.Ultimately our product guarantees high early strength and

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ROCK HARD CEMENT better cohesion with aggregates and maintains a good concrete density. Comparative lower water-cement ratio provides an added advantage for the further increase of compressive strength of the concrete. It also provides a better surface finish. This in return allows for the cement to be used for greater volume of concrete, adding to the cost effectiveness. The various types of hydraulic cement that Rock Hard Cement offers have a lower CO2 footprint resulting from lower clinker content due to the addition of supplementary cementitious materials. This introduction of blended cements reinforces our unwavering commitment to the industry.” optimal curing and great workability, which the artisans appreciate. It suits all applications and allows construction companies to move forward with building in a timely and efficient fashion. For this reason it is favored by so many, and why it is incredibly useful within sustainability-minded projects.”

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT Rock Hard Cement is ASTM C1157 blended hydraulic cement, which is produced by blending Portland cement and other

cementitious materials like slag, fly ash, silica fume, clay, hydrated lime, and other pozzolans. “The use of hydraulic cement allows for a quicker set and hardens with the addition of water,” says Mr. Matthews.

“There are many benefits of using hydraulic cement. Hydraulic cement provides a higher durability of concrete structure due to less permeability of water. It has low heat of hydration-reduction in cracking, which gives a longer time to place and finish concrete. Due to high fineness, PPC has

TESTING EVERY BATCH Consistency and quality are central to Rock Hard Cement, as samples are sent to be tested throughout all processes. “Rock Hard has hydraulic cement that goes through various tests from the start to the final product,” explains Mr. Matthews. “We receive test reports on every batch of cement that is produced. This consistent testing on every single lot of product enables us to maintain a quality product. These tests take place throughout the manufacturing process

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by our independent construction materials testing laboratories. These independent laboratories are accredited to perform the ASTMC1157 standard performance specification for hydraulic cement. Results are for chemical and physical testing of the cement.

This means each time we get at least two different reports on the quality of the cement from independent accredited laboratories.”

ENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY PROCESSES Rock Hard Cement also import bulk cement and then supply that bulk product to their ready-mix customers. “For that process we use a facility where the bulk bag is cut and the contents are transferred into a silo and then into the bulk trucks of the ready-mix companies,” says Mr. Matthews. “Throughout the entire manufacturing process there are zero fuel emissions, as all the motors are powered by electricity. The whole process is also dust-free, thanks to our top-of-the-line dust collection system. This helps reduce waste and ensures we are compliant with all health and safety standards. Compared to other cement providers, this is a very important distinction. Whether customers are concerned with the quality control aspects of our production or the efficiency and environmental impact, Rock Hard Cement delivers on their requirements.”

PEOPLE-FOCUSED HSE is deeply embedded in Rock Hard Cement’s operations. “From the environmental standpoint, we have a variety of systems in place at our facilities to ensure consistent adherence to personal and environmental safety,” says Mr. Matthews. “There is absolutely minimal environmental impact from our local distribution, and of course we are also contributing to the local economy via job creation, working closely with people who are driven by sustainable development as part of their core objectives and when planning their projects.”

From the beginning, Rock Hard Cement set out to enhance and revolutionize the cement industry in the Caribbean, giving a broad range of customers access to high-quality building materials. “One aspect of this is, of course, affordability, and another is high and consistent quality,” says Mr. Matthews. “We feel that the markets have received our products warmly, even where some territories took longer to adopted our product. All the territories where we operate are unique, and each area has its own techniques and preferences for working with concrete and other building materials. In the areas where there has previously been a monopoly, people are very eager to try something new compared to the territories that had alternative product, we need to emphasize quality to encourage people to

switch to our product by keeping our customers informed about our processes and the benefits of our quality product.”

CARIBBEAN INVESTMENT “We are also dedicated to assisting members of the communities who are in need of support through our Rock Hard Cares Foundation,” says Mr. Matthews. “Rock Hard Cares was established in 2018, with its main purpose being to lend a helping hand where it is needed within the communities in which we operate. Launched in Barbados, to date we have installed a ramp at the School House For Special Needs, we have provided back-to-school necessities for students, given living expenses to a family that lost their home over the Christmas season, provided a laptop for a young student who lost hers in a fire, and sponsored a summer camp for children.”

“We see Rock Hard as being essential to the Caribbean region,” says Mr. Matthews. “Our main objectives are to create the best cement types and be able to deliver in the most economical and environmentally-friendly way possible to all of the territories and markets in which we distribute. We are also committed to working with our Rock Hard Cares Foundation to support the communities in the countries where we do business.” c URECON / LOGSTOR

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Rock Hard Cement Lot 7 Spring Garden Highway, St. Michael o: 1 (246) 622-1967 www.rockhard-cement.com

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