Argentina July shipments edge ahead YoY

Argentina cement plants shipped 912,106t in July 2012 - including exports - a rise of 0.7 per cent from June but down two per cent from the same period a year ago.

According to provisional data of the Association of Portland Cement Manufacturers (AFCP), dispatches destined for domestic consumption totaled 904,169t, 1.8 per cent more than in June but 0.8 per cent below the July 2011 placement.

After a fall of 18 per cent between March and April, sales surged 11.3 per cent in May and 1.95 per cent in June.

Thus, in the first seven months of cement dispatches totaled 6.2Mt, 4.7 per cent less than the same period of 2011, while domestic consumption showed a decline of 4.3 per cent to 6Mt.

Therefore, the AFCP has already cut the forecast of shipments for the year to 11.015Mt, 617,000t less than projected through May and 865,000t lower than estimated in early 2012.

According to information by INDEC, the official statistics body, in the first six months of the year the pace of construction activity fell 0.6 per cent.

During last year total cement shipments reached a record 11.62Mt, which also meant a rise of 11.1 per cent from 2010.