World cement growth in 2010

Global demand for cement rose in 2010, despite many of the developing markets seeing tough trading conditions. The CW Group and CemWeek demand tracking universe of cement volumes, which represents 85 percent of global demand, indicated year-over-year (YoY) global volumes increased just over 12 percent from 2009 to 2010.

Emerging markets, particularly Brazil, China, India and Russia, reported some of the largest increases in cement volumes, pushing overall regional averages higher. China (treated here as a region due to its size) showed the largest YoY increase in cement volumes at 15.5 percent, followed by South America at 13 percent. Nations in the Asian, African and Middle Eastern regional universe tied with a YoY annual increase of 8.3 percent.

The North American and European set experienced the weakest growth in cement volumes, as slower than expected economic recovery dampened demand. Overall, YoY growth in the North American region averaged 1.4 percent, and in the European set, YoY growth was only 0.7 percent.

Read the full story in the second issue of the CemWeek Magazine here.