Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 7.792Mt in November, down 12.3 per cent YoY from the 8.889Mt recorded in November 2023. Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US dropped 12.2 per cent YoY to 7.69Mt, from 8.758Mt a year earlier.

The key producing states for Portland and blended cement were, in descending order, Texas, Missouri, California, Florida and Alabama. The key consuming states were, in descending order, Texas, Florida, California, North Carolina and Ohio.

Masonry cement shipments amounted to 168,480t, down 6.1 per cent YoY, with Florida the leading producer.

Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, saw a four per cent YoY decline in November to 6.409Mt, with Texas the leading producer.

Hydraulic cement, including white cement, and clinker imports amounted to 1.960Mt in November, up 1.9 per cent YoY. Imported clinker amounted to 60,864t in November, down 52.7 per cent YoY.

January-November 2024
In the January to November period, total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 88.1Mt, down five per cent YoY. Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US contracted 5.1 per cent YoY to 94.845Mt from 99.979Mt in January-November 2023.

Masonry cement shipments amounted to 2.031Mt, down 5.8 per cent YoY.

Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, amounted to 65.534Mt, down six per cent YoY.

Hydraulic cement, including white cement, and clinker imports amounted to 23.218Mt, a decline of seven per cent YoY from January-November 2023. Turkey was the key source of imports accounting for 28 per cent of the total, followed by Canada (20 per cent) and Vietnam (17 per cent). Mexico accounted for five per cent of imports in January-November 2024.

Imported clinker amounted to 857,935t in January-November, down 12.1 per cent YoY. Canada was the key source of clinker to the US, accounting for half of imports. Followed by Turkey (16 per cent), Egypt (15 per cent) and Algeria (14 per cent).