Ukrainian cement production falls 3% in 8M18

Cement production in Ukraine for the Jan-Aug 2018 period has fallen 2.9 per cent YoY, according to Pavlo Kachur, head of the Ukrcement Association of Cement Manufacturers.

"The results of work for the eight months are not very optimistic. We have a decline in cement production by about 2.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. Production of clinker also slowed down. And this despite the fact that construction increased by 5.7 per cent," said Mr Kachur.

The decrease in production has been attributed to cement transportation problems by state-owned rail transport company Ukrzaliznytsia, which resulted in 200,000t of product being undersupplied.

"In the eight months Ukrzaliznytsia fulfilled only 56 per cent of orders for the delivery of wagons to cement enterprises. In addition, Ukrzaliznytsia often exceeds the deadlines for the delivery of own or leased wagons to consumers by 5-10 days. There are directions where it has become a tradition,” said Mr Kachur.

Cement imports for the first six months of the year increased by 14.7 per cent to 225,000t, with Belarus and Moldova suppling the most volume.