US Portland and blended cement market expands 6% in May

Total shipments of Portland and blended cement in the USA and Puerto Rico advanced 5.6 per cent to 9.2Mt in May 2021 when compared with May 2020, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Cement consumption was the highest in Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and Georgia – combined these five leading states consumed 37 per cent of May shipments. In terms of leading Portland and blended cement-producing states, Missouri, California, Texas, Florida and Michigan accounted for 39 per cent of cement produced.

Masonry cement shipments edged up 3.4 per cent YoY to 201,000t in May 2021. The leading state markets were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Georgia, which accounted for 54 per cent of the month’s deliveries.

US clinker production increased eight per cent YoY to 7.3Mt when compared with May 2020. Missouri, Texas, California, Florida and Pennsylvania were the leading clinker-producing states, accounting for 49 per cent of clinker output in May 2021.

Domestic production was supplemented with 2.2Mt of clinker and cement imports in May 2021, representing an 86 per cent surge in imports when compared with May 2020.

January-May 2021
In the first five months of 2021 total shipments of Portland and blended cement in the USA, including Puerto Rico, increased by 6.5 per cent YoY to 40.3Mt. Meanwhile, masonry cement deliveries were up 2.6 per cent to 969,000t.

The US produced 29.7Mt of clinker in the January-May 2021 period, slightly less than in the equivalent period in 2020.

Imports for the 5M21 saw a 40 per cent hike to 8.6Mt when compared with the 5M20.