US cement market contracts in July

Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the USA and Puerto Rico slipped to 9.9Mt in July 2020 from 10Mt in July 2019, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The leading consuming states were Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and New York, which accounted for 37 per cent of July shipments. The largest producing states were Missouri, Texas, California, Florida and Michigan. They produced 41 per cent of domestic cement output. Masonry shipments remained stable at 225,000t when compared with July 2019.

Clinker output, excluding Puerto Rico, dropped nine per cent to 6.9Mt in July 2020. The leading clinker-producing states were Texas, Missouri, California, Florida and Pennsylvania. They supplied 47 per cent of the domestic clinker production.

Imports of cement and clinker declined seven per cent YoY to 1.4Mt.

January-July 2020
Total deliveries of Portland and blended cement in January-July 2020 totalled 57.8Mt, an increase of two per cent when compared with the year-ago period. Masonry dispatches fell to 1.4Mt in the first seven months of 2020 from 1.42Mt in the 7M19.

On the supply side, clinker production in the USA only remained largely unchanged at 43.6Mt between January-July 2020. Domestic production was supplemented by 9.2Mt of imports, slightly down YoY.