西麦斯，水泥和骨料生产商，称其在英国的销售额下降了19%，在西班牙下降了26％，在美国下降了28％。销售额总体下降了5％，达到英镑34亿英镑。
西麦斯公司称，银行已经同意延长其一个20亿英镑贷款的还款期限，以更高的还款利息从2009年延长到2010年。这笔贷款在去年用于收购瑞科儿。
与此同时，预计将出售澳大利亚，奥地利和匈牙利的骨料，混凝土和水泥厂获取10亿英镑的现金流。
西麦斯在过去几年中曾积极扩张，但由于美国住宅市场放缓已难以持续。公司称，三季度美国水泥需求量下降了19%，预拌混凝土下降了30%，水泥下降了31%。西麦斯预计今年下降趋势将持续。
在一份声明中一位西麦斯英国女发言人说：“继宣布了三季度报告，西麦斯公司现在预计英国水泥销量同比将下降约19％，预拌混凝土同比下降了约20％，骨料2008年销售量下降了约14％。在英国西麦斯已经在致力于提高效率，举措包括：优先资本支出和投资新项目，并在某些情况下，将这些作为主要业务，减少水泥和骨料船队来提高生产力，减少这些业务的轮班，加班花费和正式雇员量至少10％，并关闭和封存未充分利用的资产。在西麦斯，我们有信心，动力和决心，在这个充满挑战的时刻，保持竞争力，并全力致力于继续兑现我们对投资者，客户和同事的承诺。”
附英文：
Cemex to cut 6,000 jobs worldwide; UK sales drop 19%
(UK) -- Cemex has announced that it is to cut 6,000 jobs worldwide, equivalent to 10% of its workforce, and put more than £1bn of assets up for sale, as it grapples with falling demand.
The moves come as part of an effort to reduce costs by £288m by the end of the year.
The cement and aggregates producer indicated that UK sales have dropped 19% in the UK, 26% in Spain, and 28% in the US. Overall sales have dropped 5% to £3.4bn.
The company said banks have agreed to extend the payment deadline for a £2bn loan it used to buy Australia's Rinker cement last year from 2009 to 2010 in return for higher interest rates.
Meanwhile the disposals of aggregate, concrete and cement plants to raise £1bn in cash are expected to come in Australia, Austria and Hungary.
Cemex, which has expanded aggressively over the past few years, has been hard hit by the slowdown in the US housing market.
The company said US cement volumes had fallen 19% in the third quarter. Readymix has fallen 30% and aggregates 31%. Cemex expects the trend to continue for the rest of the year.
In a statement a Cemex UK spokeswoman said: “Further to the announcement of the quarter three results CEMEX now expects UK cement volumes to decline by about 19%, readymix volumes to drop by about 20% on a like for like basis, and aggregates volume to decrease by approximately 14% for the year 2008.
"In the UK Cemex has already been working on improving efficiencies for several months, and initiatives include prioritising capital expenditure and investment in new projects and in some cases putting these on hold, reducing the cement and aggregate fleets to improve productivity, reducing shifts, overtime spend and head count across the business by at least 10% and closing and mothballing underutilised assets.
"At Cemex we are confident that we have the drive and determination to remain competitive during this challenging time, and fully committed to continue to deliver on our commitments to investors, customers and fellow employees."
