The waves and ripples that started on September 11 have had an impact on the citizens and business community of the United States, as well as those who travel throughout and into America. While Cement Americas makes every effort to continue to provide quality news and services to our readership, we also must remain flexible in what has become a rapidly changing environment. We have heard concerns from every industry we serve and, as a result, have decided to postpone International Cement 2001 indefinitely.

In an effort to provide at least some of the information that would have been at our show this year, Cement Americas is offering our “Exhibition in Print,” a special section in this issue (pages 18A to 18P) that features an exclusive interview with the man slated to give the Keynote Address at IC2001, Mel G. Brekhus, executive vice president and chief operating officer of TXI. In addition, the advertising in this section consists entirely of companies that were scheduled exhibitors at the conference. We especially want to thank those companies for supporting this project. Also, look for other presentations scheduled for IC2001 to appear in future issues of Cement Americas as in-depth articles.

When we finalize plans for International Cement 2002, we will announce them in these pages. Here's hoping that politics and the economy allow it to be our strongest show ever.