In spite of significant headway already made in terms of modernising the Russian cement production base, plenty of room for development remains. The modernisation of the industry continues as the country’s cement association, Soyuzcement, outlines plans to accelerate best-practice in the sector and appeals to the government for increased use of cement in infrastructure programmes. By CMPro, Russia.
In 2016 almost all Russian federal districts noted a decrease in construction activity. The average YoY decline was 4.3 per cent but in the Southern federal district activity fell 11.5 per cent. Moderate growth only took place in the North Western federal district as building activity increased by 3.9 per cent. Housing completions declined by 6.5 per cent YoY with the private housing sector registering an even larger fall of 10.2 per cent.
This decrease in construction work triggered a contraction in the manufacture of reinforced concrete structures and products, and ready-mix concrete by 15.6 and 8.9 per cent, respectively. In turn this falling demand for cement-based construction products negatively affected the consumption and production of cement in Russia in 2016. Domestic cement consumption decreased 11.6 per cent YoY to 55.955Mt while production saw a similar trend, dropping 11.3 per cent YoY to 54.968Mt in 2016.
