Cemex supplies Mexico’s tallest skyscraper

Cemex is to supply some 80,000 m3 of special concretes to the KOI tower project in Monterrey metropolitan area of Mexico. At 917 ft (280 m) and 64 storeys it will be the tallest building in Mexico when completed.

Developed by Internacional de Inversiones (IDEI) and designed by HOK and V&FO, the residential and office building is in the process of obtaining Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for its sustainability characteristics.

Construction activity to date has included a 26-hour concrete pour to construct the foundations, which Cemex says is the second largest single pour it has ever carried out. This comprised some 7,070 m³ of concrete being pumped at 270 m³ per hour.

For the above ground levels, Cemex is working with contractor DOCSA to form concrete elements using a placing boom attached to delivery pipes running through the building’s core. Concrete for the columns has a compressive strength of 700 kg/cm².

"If we had not had access to these high-strength concretes, such as the ones developed by Cemex, the KOI tower, as currently conceived, would simply not have been possible," explained Luis Fernandez de Ortega, of architect V&FO.

The project is due for completion next year