A recent study by the Boston Consulting Group for CEMBUREAU claims that the cement industry has a key role to play in helping Europe achieve its goals of developing a sustainable, resource efficient and innovative society. ICR looks at the current challenges facing the region’s cement producers and what action its policymakers can take to help them remain competitive.
According to Eurostat, the statistics arm of the EU, the EU-27’s population is expected to grow from 501m in 2010 to 526m by 2040. The UK, France and Germany are predicted to take the lion’s share of this growth with population figures by 2060 of 79m, 74m and 66m, respectively. But more people means more services and more services means more roads, schools, hospitals, transport systems and housing.
Infrastructural growth relies on the cement industry. According to CEMBUREAU, the European cement and concrete industry today has a total production value of €74bn, a value added of €22bn and employs in excess of 366,000 people. With populations continuing to boom and ever-increasing urbanisation, Europe’s ability to provide efficient and sustainable cities to meet this demand will heavily depend on the strength and competitiveness of its cement industry.
