Spanish cement market expands 7% in May

Cement consumption in Spain increased 6.6 per cent YoY in May, reaching 1,333,698t, according to Oficemen. In the first five months of 2019, demand for cement advanced 13.7 per cent YoY when compared with the 5M18.

"The improvement in the percentage of annual growth in this first part of the year is the result of the positive evolution of housing, which in the last 12 months has grown by 25 per cent, reaching a figure higher than the 107,000 housing permits. In parallel, there are no signs of reactivation in the execution of public works,” according to the president of Oficemen, Jesús Ortiz.

However, exports in January-May 2019 have fallen 22 per cent YoY to 2,700,158t from 3,472,666t in the 5M18. Moreover, imports continue to grow with cement imports increasing 73 per cent from 184,387t in the 5M18 to 319,967t in the 5M19.  "The product that comes from third countries, with lower energy costs and where CO₂ emissions are not fiscally penalised, is impacting our competitiveness", added Mr Ortíz.