Italy’s cement market contracted 9% in 2022

Total consumption in Italy was down by 6.7 per cent YoY to 19.07Mt in 2022 from 20.45Mt, according to Federbeton. Of this total 1.944Mt was imported, up 15.1 per cent YoY from 1.69Mt. In per capita terms, domestic consumption fell from 346kg/inhabitant in 2021 to 324kg/inhabitant in 2022.

Cement dispatches in the country decreased by 8.7 per cent YoY to 17.125Mt in 2022. Declines were felt across the country. In the north dispatches were down 8.6 per cent YoY to 8.891Mt while in central Italy and Sardinia a 8.7 per cent drop to 3.208Mt was reported. In the south and Sicily dispatches contracted by 8.8 per cent YoY to 5.026M.

In terms of end markets, ready-mix concrete plants accounted for the largest share – 49.5 per cent – of dispatches, followed by wholesalers (21.9 per cent) and prefabricated products (10.8 per cent). Construction companies accounted for a further 8.2 per cent of total dispatches.

Cement production in Italy fell by 8.8 per cent to 18.8Mt when compared to the previous year, when 20.62Mt was produced. Of this total, 87.1 per cent was delivered as bulk cement while 12.9 per cent was supplied in bags.