Cement deliveries in Switzerland (including Liechtenstein) slipped 1.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2021 when compared to the 1Q20, which was the last not fully affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Swiss cement association, Cemsuisse. Domestic deliveries fell to 862,210t in the January-March 2021 period from 872,104t in the year-ago period.

CEM II cements with a lower CO2 content recorded a modest growth and accounted for 90.1 per cent of deliveries. CEM I cement saw its share fall further from 7.5 per cent in the 1Q20 to 4.5 per cent in the 1Q21.

Deliveries were carried out by road in 60.4 per cent of cases and 39.6 per cent by rail.

Concrete haulage companies were responsible for 72.2 per cent of deliveries, large-scale concrete production facilities accounted for 20.6 per cent and concrete producers for 5.4 per cent.