Being the best in the construction-materials industry is about more than just the things you can build—it’s about providing customized solutions for your clients through scientific research, experimentation and innovation.

The American Concrete Institute (ACI) recently awarded Hamid Farzam, CEMEX USA Vice President – Technical Services & Quality Assurance, the ACI Wason Medal for Materials Research for his coauthored paper on the study of hydration kinetics and reactivity of ferrite in industrial cement, which was published in the ACI Materials Journal.

The ACI is a leading resource of expertise and resources for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction and materials. It has more than 101 chapters and nearly 20,000 members in more than 120 countries.

Farzam, a fellow of the ACI, has more than 29 years of experience in cement and concrete technology and the chemical admixtures used in underground, mining and civil construction. This is the second time he’s received the prestigious Wason Medal in his career, but the first since joining CEMEX.

The research and information generated to write papers like Farzam’s happens at the CEMEX Technical Center in Tampa. From there, CEMEX specialists collaborate, conduct testing and analyze data to find creative solutions to problems facing the industry.

By producing papers and being active in organizations like the ACI, Farzam and his team are helping to elevate CEMEX USA’s reputation as the top supplier of advanced, technical solutions in the construction-materials industry.

“We want the specifying engineers and the industry at large to know that CEMEX has the technical capacity and know-how to design customized concrete mixtures to meet any performance requirements—no matter the size, scope or complexity. We are the supplier of choice,” he said.