Displaying items by tag: Sales

Indonesia: Cement production in Indonesia fell by 8.0% year-on-year in September 2025 compared to September 2024. Volumes fell from 6.24Mt to 5.74Mt, according to data from the Asosiasi Semen Indonesia (ASI). Blended cement accounted for 4.10Mt (71% of production), with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) accounting for 1.64Mt (29%).

The nation’s cement producers sold 6Mt of cement in September 2025, 1.3% less than the 6.07Mt sold in the same month of 2024. All regions of the country experienced a decline in sales, with the sole exception of Bali-Nustra, which noted a 16.3% rise in despatches.

The biggest regional market, Java, saw despatches slip by 0.3% to 3.11Mt from 3.12Mt in September 2024. The next biggest region, Sumatra, saw a fall of 3.5%, from 1.36Mt to 1.31Mt. Despatches in the third-largest market of Sulawesi were down by 2.2% from 0.49Mt 0.48Mt.

In partial compensation for falling domestic sales, cement exports rose by 11.0% in September 2025 relative to a year earlier. Volumes rose from 90,400t to 100,350t. Top export markets, in descending order by volume, were East Timor, followed by the Maldives, the Philippines, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea. Small amounts of clinker were also exported, primarily to Bangladesh, Taiwan, Angola, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Mozambique.

Brazil: The cement industry closed the third quarter of 2025 on a positive note, with sales reaching 6.1Mt in September 2025, up by 4.6% year-on-year. From January to September 2025, cumulative sales stood at 50.3Mt, representing 3% year-on-year growth, according to preliminary figures released by the National Union of the Cement Industry (SNIC). The sector’s performance reflected mixed economic signals, with a robust labour market balancing the effects of high interest rates, rising defaults and elevated household debt. The unemployment rate fell to 5.6% in the quarter ending in August 2025, alongside record levels of formal employment and wage growth of 1.4%.

Despite these gains, overall economic activity has shown signs of slowing in the second half of 2025, with industry confidence stabilising in September 2025 after three months of decline. Given this context, SNIC projects a moderate 2% increase in cement consumption for 2025, supported by continued demand from housing and infrastructure projects.

“The cement industry demonstrates resilience by maintaining positive performance based on a sales recovery that began in 2024,” said Paulo Camillo Penna, president of SNIC. “However, the increased uncertainty in the economy creates an environment of caution. Our projections for 2025 reflect this moderation, but the focus on social housing and sustainable infrastructure solutions such as concrete paving will continue to drive consumption and support Brazil’s economic, social and environmental development.”

Pakistan: Cement despatches, including both domestic despatches and exports, rose by 16% year-on-year to 12.2Mt in the first quarter of the 2026 financial year, up from 10.5Mt in the same period in 2024, according to data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA). Domestic sales grew by 15% to 9.57Mt, compared to 8.32Mt in 2024, while exports jumped by 21% to 2.59Mt, up from 2.14Mt.

On a monthly basis, dispatches surged by 31% in July and 13.5% in August 2025, before moderating to 7% growth in September 2025, when volumes reached 4.25Mt compared with 3.97Mt a year earlier. In September 2025, local sales rose by 14% to 3.42Mt, up from 2.99Mt in September 2024, while exports dropped by 15% to 0.83Mt, against 0.98Mt a year earlier.

Pakistan: Listed cement producers closed the 2025 financial year (ending 30 June 2025) with their best results in several years, posting a combined after-tax profit of US$593m. This was an increase of 38% from US$431m in the 2024 financial year. Revenue for the sector rose by 7% to US$3.1bn, supported by stronger retention prices, cheaper coal and greater reliance on efficient power sources, which lifted gross margins to 31%. Cement dispatches increased by 2% to 37.4Mt for the year, reflecting a modest rebound in volumes alongside firmer pricing. In the fourth quarter of the 2025 financial year, sales grew 5% year-on-year, with dispatches up 4% to 9.3Mt.

Pakistan: Cement sales in September 2025 are projected to reach 3.9Mt, reflecting a 1% year-on-year decline but a 2% increase compared to August 2025, according to Pakistan Business News. Local cement shipments are expected to grow by 3% year-on-year to 3.08Mt, despite a 1% month-on-month fall. Analysts attributed the decline to ongoing flood impacts, though sales rebounded in the third week of September 2025.

Cement exports are forecast to fall by 15% year-on-year but rise by 11% month-on-month, with flood-related disruptions continuing to weigh on annual comparisons. For the first quarter of the 2026 financial year, total cement sales are projected to rise by 12% year-on-year, supported by a 10% increase in domestic sales and a 21% rise in exports. Capacity utilisation in September 2025 is estimated at 55%, the same as the same month in 2024 but slightly below the 56% recorded in 2023. Analysts continue to forecast 8% year-on-year growth in local shipments, underpinned by increased construction activity and a more relaxed monetary policy.

Nigeria: Dangote Cement despatched 481,000t of clinker from Nigeria to its subsidiaries in Cameroon and Ghana in the first half of 2025, according to its latest activity report. While country-specific volumes were not disclosed, the company said that the supply ensured production continuity in these key markets and helped mitigate volatility in international clinker prices.

The group’s 1.5Mt/yr clinker grinding plant in Douala, Cameroon, sold 687,000t of cement in the first half of 2025, down by 3% from 710,000t in the same period of 2024. Dangote Cement attributed the decline to a temporary slowdown in demand.

Despite this, the outlook remains positive, supported by major infrastructure projects such as the Douala–Yaoundé highway and nationwide road rehabilitation. “These initiatives should maintain sustained cement demand in the medium term, despite uncertainties linked to the general elections scheduled for October 2025,” the report stated.

In Congo, however, sales stagnated at 446,000t in the first half of 2025 due to logistical challenges that limited exports, despite the resumption of public projects.

Looking ahead, Dangote Cement is moving forward with its long-delayed expansion in Cameroon. Bertrand Mbouck, General Manager of Dangote Cement Cameroon, confirmed that construction of a second plant had officially commenced after receiving government approval. The project, first announced in 2015 by Group CEO Aliko Dangote, was originally given a 20-month duration.

Brazil: Cement sales in August 2025 fell to 6Mt, a 2.5% decline compared to 6.15Mt in August 2024 and down 2.5% from July 2025, when sales stood at 6.16Mt, according to preliminary figures from the National Cement Industry Union (SNIC). Total sales, including exports, reached 6.01Mt, also down by 2.5% year-on-year. Cumulatively, sales between January and August 2025 rose by 3% to 44.2Mt, compared to 43.0Mt in the same period of 2024.

By region, the Southeast remained the largest market, selling 2.75Mt of cement in August 2025 (down by 2% year-on-year), followed by the Northeast with 1.26Mt (down by 0.6%), the South with 940,000t (down by 7%), the Centre-West with 745,000t (down by 0.7%), and the North with 298,000t (down by 4%).

The slowdown comes despite record levels of formal employment and higher wages, as consumer debt remains high at 49%, close to the all-time peak of 49.9% in July 2022. Consumer confidence declined in August 2025 amid concerns about the economic outlook.

High interest rates, standing at 15%, continue to weigh on housing demand and the construction sector’s confidence index fell to its lowest level since May 2021, while industry confidence also declined to its weakest point since the Covid-19 pandemic. Tight monetary policy, uncertainty and new US tariffs on Brazilian products have further clouded the outlook.

Paulo Camillo Penna, president of SNIC, said “The federal government's goal for the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program to build two million homes between 2023 and 2026 will enable the consumption of 10Mt of cement during that period. Structural masonry and concrete wall construction systems have been advancing throughout the country due to their cost-effectiveness, agility, competitiveness, and the Brazilian cement industry's efforts to engage and train professionals in construction companies.”

Indonesia: Domestic cement sales dropped by 3% year-on-year to 27.7Mt in the first half of 2025, down from 28.5Mt in the same period of 2024, according to the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI). Cement production also fell by 6% to 28.8Mt from 30.5Mt a year earlier.

ASI chair Lilik Unggul Raharjo said demand had contracted across most regions, except in Sumatra and Maluku-Papua, which posted growth of 4.9% and 5% respectively. He attributed the sales decline to weak household purchasing power and reduced government spending on infrastructure projects. The market remains oversupplied, resulting in a capacity utilisation rate of 56%. However, corporate secretary at PT Indocement Dani Handajani said that the company expects volumes to increase in the second half of 2025.

Bolivia: Cement production was 325,068t in June 2025, down by 4% month-on-month from 338,536t in May 2025 and by 2% year-on-year from 331,854t in June 2024, according to the Institute of National Statistics (INE). La Paz led output with 98,290t, followed by Santa Cruz with 90,385t. In the first half of 2025, cement production reached 1.9Mt.

Cement sales fell to 306,714t in June 2025, a 20% fall from 381,160t in May 2025 and down by 4% from 319,041t in June 2024. In the first half of 2025, sales declined by 1% year-on-year to 1.88Mt from 1.91Mt in the first half of 2024.

South Africa: Afrimat has recorded signs of recovery in the second quarter of its 2026 financial year, supported by the integration of Lafarge South Africa and cost savings from migrating Holcim systems onto its platform. The company said that July 2025 marked its highest monthly cement sales since acquiring the business, with both bulk and bagged sales rising.

Afrimat said “Our diversified model ensures the correct deployment of resources across operations. After each acquisition, we allowed time to stabilise distressed assets... we are now beginning to see a steady turnaround.”

The company said it has invested ‘heavily’ at the Lichtenburg cement plant to address historic underinvestment, though kiln reliability remains a constraint. It said “By reducing reliance on costly and environmentally taxing components and incorporating extenders such as fly ash and slag, both abundantly available to Afrimat, we can supply compliant, cost-effective and lower-carbon cement products to the market.”