The United States of America has been the world’s largest cement importer by volume for decades. However, the Great Recession saw imports plummet and while they are currently picking up, progress is slow as they remain a fraction of former peak levels. Will this recovery continue? By Rob Roy, ROI Economic Consulting, USA.
US cement and clinker imports decreased 1.2 per cent to 8.9Mt through January-August 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Despite the current low in US cement and clinker imports, it is highly likely that no other nation has imported more in the year to date. This prediction will be explained later when global cement trading is examined.
Every region of the US imports cement, but it varies over the business cycle. Currently, the Northeast leads the way, taking 30 per cent of January-August cement and clinker imports, followed by the West at 27 per cent, Southwest at 18 per cent, Midwest 15 per cent and Southeast at 10 per cent. During the 2006 peak, however, the West led at 32 per cent, Southwest 25 per cent, Southeast 23 per cent, Northeast 14 per cent and Midwest six per cent.
