Cement dispatches in Colombia edged up 0.3 per cent YoY to 1.021Mt in November 2017, according to the national statistics office, DANE.

The rise in dispatches is attributed mainly to the robust performance in the prefabricated and concrete producer segments. A total of 69.1 per cent of dispatches was carried out as bagged cement, witch the retail segment accounting for 76.6 per cent of bagged dispatches. Bulk cement was delivered mainly to concrete producers, which accounted for 68.9 per cent of bulk sales.

In terms of departments, Antioquia and Caldas markets expanded by 4.2 and 19 per cent, respectively, while Córdoba saw a contraction of 24.2 per cent when compared with November 2016.

Domestic cement output increased two per cent in November 2017 to 1.029Mt when compared with the year-ago period.

In the first 11 months of 2017, dispatches slipped by 0.5 per cent to 11.035Mt when compared with January-November 2016.

Casanare noted a 29.3 per cent YoY market contraction while Córdoba and Santander saw consumption fall by 14.5 and 7.1 per cent, respectively. Dispatches to Antioquia rose by 6.5 per cent.

Cement production in the January-November 2017 period fell one per cent to 11.282Mt from 11.397Mt in 11M16.