The national association representing the cement manufacturers in the U.S., formerly known as the Portland Cement Association, has changed its name to the American Cement Association (ACA).
The change was announced by President and CEO Mike Ireland in Birmingham, AL, during the 67th IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Conference.
The Portland Cement Association was founded in 1916. Since then, they have supported sustainability, innovation, and safety while fostering continuous improvement in cement manufacturing, distribution, infrastructure, and economic growth.
Nearly 1,200 cement industry professionals from around the world are attending the event this week, which is hailed as the cement and concrete industry’s premier annual conference. Following today’s announcement, the association will begin launching the new brand identity in June.
“The most important reason for the name change is that in recent years, U.S. cement manufacturers have expanded the types of materials they produce beyond portland cement, working to develop more lower-emission cements in an effort to decarbonize the industry and increase domestic cement manufacturing capacity. The name ‘Portland Cement Association’ no longer accurately reflects the modern mindset of today’s manufacturers, or the materials they currently produce.” Ireland said.
Lower-emissions cement consumption has grown more than tenfold since 2021 and now accounts for more than 60% of total cement consumed in the U.S. In 2024, all 50 state Departments of Transportation approved the use of portland-limestone cement (PLC). PLC reduces the carbon footprint of projects by up to 10%.
“Additionally, the rebranding makes it clear that we are a national association that speaks for cement manufacturers across the country,” Ireland said.
During today’s announcement, Monica Manolas, Region President — Ash Grove Cement , and ACA Board Vice Chair, shared a video with conference attendees, revealing the association’s new slogan: Sustainable Cement for Resilient Concrete.
“The slogan summarizes the industry’s commitment to staying the course with our Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality,” Manolas said. “We continue to focus on developing new technologies and products to achieve not only net zero by 2050 but also to increase the capacity of American cement manufacturing to meet demand.”
