Brazil: Demand for cement rose by 8.5% year-on-year to 45.2Mt in the January to August 2012. The demand has been attributed to brickwork made from cement blocks and cement walls in booming social housing projects.
Cement demand in Brazil rose by 8% year-on-year in 2011 to 65Mt. Industry experts estimate that the use of cement systems may grow from its current level of 22% to 50%. Subsequently, cement producers are increasing their capacity. Brazil's cement capacity was estimated at 78Mt/yr at the end of 2011 and is forecast to rise by 40% to 111Mt/yr in 2016.
Meanwhile, Holcim is spending US$710m to increase its capacity from 1.2Mt/yr to 3.6Mt/yr. Queiroz Galvao is currently building a cement plant in São Luis in collaboration with the Cornelio Brennand group and is said to be planning five more plants.