Lingering weakness for Swiss cement sales

Cement deliveries in Switzerland declined 3.7 per cent to 914,625t in the third quarter of 2024, down from 950,101t in the same quarter of 2023. According to Cemsuisse, the sluggish economic recovery is dragging on cement demand. However, while cement volumes are continuing to decline, they are doing so at a significantly slower pace. Sales contracted 8.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2024.  
 
January-September 2024
Cement sales in the first nine months of 2024 were down 6.9 per cent to 2.657Mt from 2.855t in the same period of 2023.
 
Low-carbon cement types accounted for 96.3 per cent of deliveries, while cement transported by rail accounted for 37.6 per cent of deliveries.
 
Outlook
Weak residential property investment has been the key downward drag on construction and cement demand, though some signs of improvement are emerging. At the same time, infrastructure investment is expected to help drive a recovery in cement. The government has earmarked CHF11.9bn (US$13bn) for the development of transportation infrastructure.