Argentina’s cement sales drop in November

Argentine Portland cement shipments, including exports, slipped by 0.9 per cent MoM to 982,116t in November after registering two consecutive months of improvement.

Domestic sales advance 0.5 per cent to 959,567t when compared with last month, but fell 8.6 per cent YoY, according to the Association of Portland Cement Manufacturers (AFCP).

For 11M2012, total shipments declined 7.4 per cent to 9.878Mt with a similar cut noted in the domestic market, where demand stood at 9.663Mt.

As a result, AFCP has cut its full-year forecast to 10.838Mt, 177,000t less than projected through September and 1.042Mt lower than estimated in early 2012.

In 2011, total cement deliveries reached a record11.62Mt, up 11.1 per cent when compared with the previous year.