From 2021 Poland’s cement industry is facing new challenges as it embarks on a three decade-long transformation towards climate neutrality by 2050, according to the Polish Cement Association (SPC).

Moreover, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry also has to address the rising costs of purchasing CO2 emission allowances and energy supply, without compensation, as well as rapidly growing imports from outside the European Union.

Following lower cement sales due to a cold winter, Krzysztof Kieres, the association’s president, forecasts a 1.8 per cent drop in sales. Poland’s Institute of Economic Forecasts and Analysis expects cement sales of 18.5Mt in 2021. The institute predicts market growth of 4.3 per cent YoY to 19.3Mt in 2022, providing the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Output from Polish cement plants was down 20 per cent to 3.027Mt in the first quarter of 2021 from 3.758Mt in the 1Q2021 although towards the end of the three-month period output had levelled with that reported in March 2020.