ASTM International held a two-day training workshop on testing standards and quality control for the cement and concrete industry on April 27-28, 2015, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Kuwait City, Kuwait. Sponsored by the Kuwait Cement Co., the event included training, education and awareness of key ASTM standards that support all aspects of construction across Kuwait. More than 250 people from many ministries and companies attended each day.

The workshop was organized and held under the patronage of the Ministry of Public Works and endorsed by Public Authority of Industry, Ministry of Defense Kuwait, and the Kuwait Society of Engineers. It opened with a welcoming address from Abdulmohsen Al-Enzi, assistant undersecretary of planning and development, Ministry of Public Works. Other esteemed speakers during the welcoming session included Eng. Fahhad Almutairi, assistant undersecretary deputy general manager for standards and industrial service affairs, Public Authority for Industry; Dr. Khadija Al-Mutairi, head of construction materials, construction management laboratories, Government for Testing and Quality Control and Research, Ministry of Public Works; Saad Almuhailbi, chairman, Kuwait Society of Engineers; Ali Al-Kandari, marketing and sales manager, Kuwait Cement Co.; and Nick Ecart, director business development, Europe, Middle East and Africa, ASTM.

“We are delighted to have held the first ASTM Cement Conference and Workshop in Kuwait,” said Ecart. “ASTM and Kuwait share the same mutual objective of raising quality, so we are proud to have welcomed so many attendees from across the industry, including government, manufacturers, contractors, consultants and academia.”

Since 1929, ASTM has been involved in creating testing standards, performing laboratory inspections and conducting proficiency testing programs for the cement and concrete industry. During these two days, Dr. Anthony Bentivegna and Mr. Omar Rahrouh from ASTM’s U.S. headquarters lectured on key ASTM standards used extensively in Kuwait, including videos on how to perform certain tests.

“I was extremely pleased with the participation and level of interest in the ASTM testing procedures and standards in Kuwait,” said Bentivegna. “The audience asked questions of great depth and interest in the topics. I am excited to be part of facilitating the use of ASTM standards in the GCC Region.”

Al-Kandari added, “Our contribution in organizing and supporting this important conference shows the commitment of Kuwait Cement Co. to providing professionals and academics in the industry with the opportunity to update their knowledge and skills in the most important technical developments in the field of testing of cement and concrete complying with ASTM standards. This reiterates the message our company is maintaining since its inception in 1968 of supplying cement to consumers with the highest quality. The concept of ‘quality’ in the cement industry is associated with the name ‘Kuwait Cement Company.”

Kuwait Contact: Majdi Almowagee, Kuwait Cement Co., alcement@kuwaitcement.com
Business Contact: Boris Ritter, Sesam Business Consultants, ritter@sesam-uae.com
ASTM Staff Contact: Nick Ecart, ASTM International, necart@astm.org

Release #9817

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