Cemex shows rapid growth in Demopolis; ‘committed to being here’

In the nine months since Russell Martin moved to Demopolis to become the human resources director at Cemex Southeast, he has watched the plant grow from 84 employees to 107, with probable expansion to more than 120.

Speaking to Demopolis Rotarians Wednesday, Martin said good schools and medical care head the list of pluses to attract skilled workers. He found as a newcomer to what he called the “jewel of the Black Belt” that its residents are friendly and welcoming, but the problems facing the company make it difficult to entice new hires to move to the city.

Martin moved to Demopolis from Tuscaloosa where he was HR director for Bolta US, a German supplier to the automotive industry. He was the first American hired for the U.S. facility where he grew the HR function to support up to 450 people.

The Atmore native is recognized as a “thought leader” in his field, regularly conducting strategic planning sessions for non-profits and organizations going through rapid expansion or in need of a management shakeup.

Known for turning HR upside down, he has tackled the problems facing Cemex in Demopolis. Chief among them is the housing shortage. The local plant has decided to take matters into its own hands. It rents vacant houses and apartments as soon as they become available for its new hires until they can purchase or build a home for themselves.

He also found that while employees realized the plant had problems, they were resistant to change. Dealing with the unknown is a battle, Martin said, but “there has to be a change, or we cease to exist, and we cease to drive for the future generations.”

When he arrived in January, the plant’s 84 employees were producing about 500 tons of cement a year, less than half from its peak production. He expects the plant to ship out more than 1.5 million tons annually within a year.

Cemex in Demopolis has a lot going for it, Martin said. It has 50-60 years of reserves in its local quarries plus what it owns in neighboring counties. It is the only plant among the nine it owns that can ship product by river, rail or road.

“We’re committed to being here,” he said. In addition to those hired this year, “we can probably add a lot more if we can find them.”

Cemex has the ability to double in size, but finding capable and skilled workforce is a challenge in a rural community. The plant has changed its approach and now is promoting from within, but that isn’t always successful.

He encouraged Rotarians to let their children and grandchildren know there is ample opportunity in Demopolis for good employment and giving back to the community where they grew up. Employees at Cemex with a two-year degree make about as much as Martin does with a master’s degree, he said.