History of cement

Cement, in its current form and specifications, is one of the pioneering discoveries that has brought about a fundamental change in the movement and pattern of construction and building, as the cement industry has opened up broad horizons for the spread and development of the construction movement. Countries around the world have rushed to establish cement factories because of the special importance of this commodity in building the national economy, as it is the basic material needed in construction and building work. Kuwait, which was witnessing a period of extensive urban and industrial activity, was in dire need of establishing a cement industry on its land, as construction in the past was limited to clay, gypsum, sea rocks and wooden roofs (jandal, basjeel and papyrus). Cement was not known to the people of Kuwait before that until 1912, when cement entered Kuwait for the first time when the American mission brought cement in wooden barrels to build the American Hospital. The people of Kuwait then began to realize the importance of this material in terms of hardness and strength, but its use remained limited due to its high price and scarcity of availability, until the Kuwait Cement Company was established in 1968, thus crowning a new era for the foundations of a comprehensive urban renaissance in the country.