Construction industry experts and players are expected to gather in Kingston on June 15, 2007 for tough talks on the state of the concrete and cement industry, a year after a major shortage of cement ground the Jamaican construction sector to a halt.

Planners said the conference would discuss the latest research in the production, use and quality control of concrete and cement at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

President of the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE), Maurice Anderson said Friday that the conference would also encourage modern concrete practice, highlight existing and current research, increase the awareness on the placement, handling and curing of concrete, increase concrete and cement quality control and explore alternate design mixes.

Anderson who was speaking at the JIE’s second quarterly luncheon for the year at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, urged his engineer colleagues to prepare papers for frank and useful discussions at the conference.

The meeting is being staged by the JIE in collaboration with the Caribbean Cement Company, which precipitated last year’s cement shortage after it, in error, released sub-standard cement into the market.

Past presidents of the JIE were honoured for their services at the luncheon.