Cemex UK to mothball South Ferriby plant in 3Q20

Cemex UK has announced a proposed mothballing of the South Ferriby plant during the 3Q20. It is anticipated that the proposal may result in redundancies of all the employees currently based at the South Ferriby Cement plant. The current cement drivers based at South Ferriby are not immediately impacted, but the intention is to review the optimal haulage provision.

Cemex will shortly commence a process of collective consultation with affected employees. A final decision will be announced when complete.

The proposal to mothball the South Ferriby Cement plant comes after an analysis of the company’s European cement supply chain. Cemex remains committed to the UK and its European business, which is one of the company’s largest regions, and will continue to have a strong national presence. This proposal will allow Cemex to optimise the network it has available across the region. This is part of the ongoing strategy to strengthen the Cemex portfolio.

The coronavirus pandemic has not influenced the decision to consider mothballing the South Ferriby plant. Cemex customers will be supplied from the company's existing cement network.

Strategic growth in the UK will be focussed in the future on those markets most attractive to Cemex, such as the larger metropolitan markets where demand and profitability will be strongest. Cemex invested more than GBP52m in new capital projects during 2019, alongside significant ongoing investment into the UK cement business, demonstrating the continued importance of this area to the company.