Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the USA and Puerto Rico slipped two per cent YoY to 6.7Mt in January 2021, said the US Geological Survey (USGS). The country’s top five cement markets – Texas, California, Florida, Georgia and Arizona – accounted for 46 per cent of January shipments. Texas, California, Missouri, Florida and Alabama were the leading producing states.

Masonry cement shipments totalled 177,000t in January 2021, down seven per cent YoY. Sixty per cent of shipments went to Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina and Georgia.

Clinker output in the USA (excluding Puerto Rico) edged up to 5.7Mt in January 2021 and was produced mainly in California, Texas, Missouri, Florida and Alabama.

Imports into the USA in the first month of 2021 saw a 58 per cent increase YoY to 1.6Mt.