Following the Great Recession when US cement prices contracted for five years, they appear to be back in the lift.
In 2013-14 domestic prices increased by five per cent YoY. In 2015, the rise is accelerating to eight per cent, according to analysts at IHS. The last time growth approached these levels was in 2005-06, when the price of cement advanced by 13 per cent.
The reactivation of idled kilns, which is leading to expensive upgrades to comply with the latest NESHAP emissions rules, has been cited as a key factor in the upward movement of prices. In addition, imports remain at one-third of pre-recession levels and have not yet caught up with increasing cement demand.
