Cement consumption in Spain fell by 1.3 per cent in July and by 7.9 per cent in August 2023 when compared with year-ago volumes, according to the country’s cement association, Oficemen. In July demand declined to 1,208,697t and in August 1,058,267t of cement were sold.

"Although the holiday months are usually moderate in consumption, this year other variables have been added: the post-electoral political uncertainty that affects both public works and private initiative, the negative data on industrial production in June and July and the slowdown in the execution of the funds of the recovery, transformation and resilience plan, have a negative impact on cement consumption, which has now been in decline for three consecutive months, a situation that we observe with some concern from the sector," commented Aniceto Zaragoza, general director of Officemen.

Cement and clinker exports dropped by 17 per cent YoY to 397,595t in August 2023 when compared with 479,052t in August 2022. Imports halved from 107,786t in August 2022 to 53,594t one year later.

Domestic cement producers reduced their output by 5.9 per cent YoY to 1,333,478t in August 2023 from 1,417,546t.

January-August 2023
In the January-August 2023 period, demand in the Spanish market has declined 0.8 per cent to 9.809Mt from 9.889Mt in the year-ago period.

Cement and clinker exports were down 9.2 per cent to 3.486Mt YoY from 3.84Mt in the 8M22 while imports saw a 45.2 per cent reduction to 0.601Mt in the 8M23 from 1.097Mt in the 8M22.  

Spain’s cement producers adjusted their output by -6.5 per cent YoY to 11.589Mt in the 8M23 from 12.389Mt.