US and Puerto Rican market contracts 2% in June

Total Portland and blended cement shipments (including imports) in the USA and Puerto Rico in June 2019 fell by 2.4 per cent to 9.1Mt when compared with June 2018, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). A combined share of 38 per cent of shipments was received by Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and New York.

Masonry cement shipments in June 2019 totalled 202,000t, down 6.1 per cent YoY. Leading consuming states were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina and Georgia – these five states accounted for 55 per cent of June shipments.

The leading producing states for Portland and blended cement were Texas, California, Missouri, Florida and Michigan, which accounted for 39 per cent of US cement production.

Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, remained unchanged in June 2019 when compared with the year-ago period at 7Mt. The leading clinker-producing States in June 2019 were Texas, California, Florida, Missouri, and Alabama.

Clinker and cement imports in June increased 11 per cent to 1.7Mt in June 2019 when compared with June 2018.

January-June 2019
In the first half of 2019 total shipments for Portland and blended cement in the US and Puerto Rico totalled 46.5Mt, representing a modest YoY increase. Masonry cement shipments remained unchanged at 1.2Mt when compared with the 1H18.

There were no YoY changes in clinker output, which reached 36Mt in the 1H19.

Imports for the January-June 2019 increased 12 per cent to 7.8Mt when compared with the 1H18.