CEMEX

Keeping Sustainable Development on the rails The quarry of CEMEX Granulats Sud Ouest in Albi (Tarn) is required to evolve in a complex social and economical background. The rarity of deposits, linked to a relatively unfavourable geology in the area, means that CEMEX has to adopt a very rigorous policy in term of resources management. In view of growing difficulties to reach resources and relatively long regulatory periods, CEMEX has had to re-examine totally the organization of its activities in Albi. To do this, CEMEX has taken the path of consultation, which has been practiced and developed at the Albi site since the 1990’s, in particular through the Local Consulting and Monitoring Committees1. In addition, in order to spare the local resource and respond to local needs, CEMEX has opted for an additional supply thanks to an alternative means of transport : the railway. Since 2001, CEMEX has been aware that the renewal of its reserves would be difficult and has been able to anticipate its future needs by developing a railway freight plan in Albi’s main station. However, in view of the growing threat of future development projects announced by the commune of Albi, the situation of this unloading platform has become precarious. The need for CEMEX to make durable all its activities increased, that is why it has got together with ETERNIT, which has a siding installation2 that has not been used since 2004. So an ambitious plan has been conceived and has received the support of the representatives of the communes of Albi, Terssac, C2A3, RFF4 and the Midi-Pyrénées region, for the redeployment of rail freight in Albi. To achieve Sustainable Development, the Albi quarry is evolving through a balance between environment, society and economy