Vietnam: Vietnam exported 3.4Mt of cement and clinker worth US$132m in April 2026, up by 15% in volume and 18% in value year-on-year. In the first four months of 2026, according to the government’s National Statistics Office. Since January 2026, exports have reached 13.4Mt, worth US$492m, up by 20% in value and 20% in volume year-on-year.
Italy: Buzzi’s cement and clinker sales volumes rose by 10% year-on-year to 7Mt in the first quarter of 2026, supported by consolidation of its operations in the UAE in May 2025. Consolidated sales declined by 1% year-on-year to €960m. On a like-for-like basis, it said that deliveries declined slightly due to weak European markets and adverse weather conditions, and ‘structural challenges’ in relevant markets. Volumes in the US increased due to increased demand from data centre and infrastructure projects. Brazil also recorded growth despite heavy rainfall in Minas Gerais. Buzzi said that the global economy recorded moderate growth in a context marked by high geopolitical uncertainty and persistent price volatility.
Brazil: Cement sales in Brazil increased by 2% year-on-year to 5.4Mt in April 2026, while sales in the first four months of 2026 rose by 2% year-on-year. The National Cement Industry Union (SNIC) attributed demand growth to housing and infrastructure activity, supported by the Minha Casa, Minha Vida housing programme. The economic outlook that sustains demand continues to be influenced by the ‘heated’ labour market and the Minha Casa, Minha Vida programme has led to a steady rise in real estate sales.
SNIC president Paulo Camillo Penna said “Despite the positive results in cement sales so far, the activity is already feeling the effects of the conflict in the Middle East. We had a strong impact with the readjustment in petcoke, a component that is mostly imported, which accounts for about 40% of the production cost. In the domestic market, pressures persist with the readjustments of diesel oil and road freight, a mode that represents about 90% of cement distribution in the country.”
Japan: Taiheiyo Cement reported sales of US$5.7bn in the 2026 financial year, ending 31 March 2026. Operating profit fell by 4% year-on-year to US$472m and net profit dropped by 56% to US$161m. The company said that the decline was due to impairment losses at Taiheiyo Cement Philippines. Domestic cement demand in Japan fell by 7% year-on-year to 30.5Mt, and the group’s domestic cement sales volumes declined by 9% to 11.9Mt. Cement exports increased by 10% to 3.32Mt. It said that demand was supported by countermeasure construction for ‘national resilience’, projects related to defence and urban development and construction related to the Linear Chuo Shinkansen. However, demand was impacted by ‘soaring’ construction costs, a decrease of shipments on Saturdays due to the spread of the five-day working week at construction sites, and a ‘chronic’ shortage of workers.
The company said that the Japanese economy, while showing some impact from US trade policies, maintained a gradual recovery trend throughout the year, supported by solid public investment and a rebound in customer spending. However, rising geopolitical risks, such as the escalating situation in the Middle East, created ‘uncertainty’ about the outlook of the economy.
