Colombia's cement market contracts 4% in January

Colombian cement dispatches declined 3.5 per cent to 0.93Mt in January 2023 from 0.964Mt in January 2022, according to the country’s statistics office, DANE. When compared with January 2019 cement demand increased 1.4 per cent from 0.917Mt.

The 3.5 per cent drop in dispatches was driven by the contraction in Antioquia (-9 per cent) and Nariño (-64.9 per cent).

While bulk dispatches remained stable, bagged cement sales fell by five per cent YoY in January 2023. Bulk sales growth of 14.3 per cent in Atlántico was the key reason for the bulk cement market maintaining its sales levels, but in Cundinamarca and Meta bulk dispatches were down by eight and 27.4 per cent, respectively. The contraction in bagged cement sales was mainly due to lower dispatches in Antioquia (-12.9 per cent) and Nariño (-60.6 per cent).

Dispatches to construction companies and contractors saw the largest YoY decline, by 18.8 per cent, followed by the retail sector where sales were down by 3.6 per cent in January 2023. Ready-mix concrete companies saw a 6.6 per cent advance in sales.


Cement production in January 2023 edged up by 0.6 per cent YoY to 1.046Mt from 1.04Mt. When compared with January 2019 output expanded by 12.4 per cent from 0.929Mt.