US October 2011 shipments up 4% YoY

Total shipments of Portland and blended cement in the United States and Puerto Rico for October 2011 were 7.3Mt, recent data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) showed. This was four per cent higher than shipments in October 2010. Shipments for the year through October were 61.1Mt, slightly higher than those of the same period in 2010. The leading producing States in October were Missouri, Texas, California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, in descending order, and accounted for about 41 per cent of the total production. The leading consuming States (Texas, California, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio, in descending order) received about 33 per cent of the October total shipments.

Clinker production totaled 5.7Mt in October, slightly lower than the output in October 2010. Production for the year through October was 51.3Mt, slightly lower than that for the same period in 2010. The leading clinker-producing States in October were Missouri, Texas, California, Pennsylvania, and Alabama, in descending order.

October 2011 imports of cement and clinker of about 700,000t were about six per cent higher than those in October 2010. Imports for the year through October totaled 5.44Mt, down by about six per cent from those for the year through October 2010.