Vietnam records 47% rise in January cement demand

Vietnam’s cement consumption increased six per cent MoM and 47 per cent YoY to 4.37Mt in January 2015, according to the Department of Building Materials at the country’s Ministry of Construction.

The country's leading cement producer Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem) sold 1.41Mt of cement in domestic markets, up 46 per cent YoY. Exports reached 1.5Mta.

By the end of January, the cement inventory was around 2.69Mt, primarily clinker.

Ministry forecasts expect cement demand (domestic consumption + exports) to reach 71-73Mt by end-2015, which represents a 4-7 per cent increase YoY. The Vietnamese market is expected to absorb some 52-53Mt and exports to stand at 21-22Mt.