Cement dispatches in Colombia increased by 8.7 per cent YoY to 1.073Mt in April 2024 from 0.988Mt, according to the country’s statistics office, DANE.

Bagged cement sales saw a 10.5 per cent YoY uptick, reflecting a 13.8 per cent expansion of the retail segment. Bulk sales were up 5.1 per cent YoY as concrete companies increased their off-take by 6.1 per cent, and sales to construction companies and contractors edged up by two per cent.

On the supply side, production by Colombian cement plants saw a 3.1 per cent uptick YoY to 1.146Mt in April 2024 from 1.112Mt.

January-April 2024
In the first four months of 2024 domestic dispatches shrank 4.9 per cent to 3.934Mt when compared with the year-ago period when dispatches totalled 4.138Mt. The decline reflects the drop in sales in Cundinamarca (-8.6 per cent YoY), Atlántico (-11.3 per cent), Valle del Cauca (-7.5 per cent) and Antioquia (-3.5 per cent).

The bagged cement market contracted by 5.3 per cent YoY while bulk sales were down 4.1 per cent YoY in April 2024. Sales to the retail segment slipped by 2.4 per cent YoY while ready-mix concrete companies reduced their off-take by four per cent YoY in April 2024. Sales to construction companies and contractors contracted by 9.8 per cent YoY.

Colombia’s cement producers reported an output of 4.351Mt in the 4M24, down four per cent YoY from 4.531Mt.