Philippine quarterly cement sales up 11.9% on favourable weather

Philippine cement sales in the third quarter of 2014 rose 11.9 per cent to 5.4Mt from 4.8Mt a year earlier, a preliminary report from the Cement Manufacturers' Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) revealed.

According to CeMAP president Ernesto Ordoñez, the pick up in cement consumption was due to better weather, a factor that may have affected sales, which were stunted, in the second quarter. “Better weather also contributed to improved sales. Companies are able to finish projects as scheduled if not earlier. Then they move on to other projects,” said Mr Ordoñez.

The third quarter figures take sales in the first nine months to 16Mt, up 7.7 per cent from 14.9Mt a year earlier.

First-half sales climbed six per cent to 10.7Mt from 10.1Mt in 1H13. Sales in the second quarter rose 3.2 per cent to 5.5Mt from 5.3Mt the comparative period of the previous year.

Mr Ordoñez said infrastructure projects under the public-private partnership program also contributed to the rise in demand and sales. Infrastructure spending was witnessed in ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in communities devastated by super typhoon Yolanda last year.

He added that the acceleration from the second-quarter sales growth of only 3.2 per cent to 11.9 per cent bodes well for the industry.