▁c ement ▁companies ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁CE ME X ▁received ▁the ▁Wh art on ▁Inf os ys ▁Business ▁Trans formation ▁Award ▁for ▁their ▁cre ative ▁and ▁efficient ▁use ▁of ▁information ▁technology . ▁ ▁International ization , ▁ 1 9 9 0 – 2 0 0 6 ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁CE ME X ▁began ▁its ▁push ▁into ▁the ▁international ▁landscape ▁with ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁Spain ' s ▁two ▁largest ▁c ement ▁companies , ▁Val enci ana ▁de ▁C ement os ▁( Val cem , ▁currently ▁head ▁of ▁CE ME X ▁Spain ) ▁and ▁C ement os ▁S AN SON . ▁Venezuela ' s ▁largest ▁c ement ▁company , ▁V EN CE M OS , ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁CE ME X ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁and ▁plants ▁were ▁purchased ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁in ▁Pan ama . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁CE ME X ▁acquired ▁a ▁c ement ▁company ▁in ▁the ▁Domin ican ▁Republic , ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁a ▁majority ▁st ake ▁in ▁a ▁Colomb ian ▁c ement ▁company ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁CE ME X ▁became ▁the ▁third ▁largest ▁c ement ▁company ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 – 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁company ▁expanded ▁its ▁scope ▁to ▁include ▁Asia ▁and ▁Africa , ▁making ▁major ▁purch ases ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁Indones ia ▁and ▁Egypt , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Costa ▁Rica