Cement is a specific substance with the ability to set and harden independently as well as bind other materials together. More than 70% of the total amount of cement produced across the world is utilized to make ready-mix concrete, which is widely used in various the construction activities. Cement is important in the production of different building materials including pipes, concrete blocks, pre-cast slabs; and it also finds use in road construction and repair operations.
Over 2007-2012, the global cement production followed an upward trend, driven by steadily rising demand. In 2012, it recorded a growth of nearly 3% and reached 3.7 billion tonnes. China dominates the global cement market in terms of production, accounting for over 58% of the overall product output. It is followed by India, the US and Brazil. Their combined production volume was estimated at approximately 393 million tonnes in 2012.
Cement: world production structure, by country, 2012
Almost half the global demand comes from China. North Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Western Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Southern Asia are among the key cement consumers across the globe.
Cement regional consumption, 2011
Lafarge, Holcim, CMBM, Anhui Conch, Heidelberg, Cemex, Italcementri, Aditya Birla and Buzzi are amid the leading companies operating on the global cement market.
In 2012, the production and consumption of the world cement market leader, China, recorded 2.4% and 2.1% y-o-y growth, respectively. In the same year, both production and consumption exceeded 2 billion tones each in the country. China’s exports of cement were higher than imports by around USD 500 million in 2011. Key importers of the Chinese cement include Angola, Mongolia, Cameroon, Congo and the USA.
The worldwide cement market has a bright future. The global cement production is forecast to go beyond 4.35 billion tonnes in 2015, boosted by the robust growth in demand from the construction industry.
More information on the cement market can be found in the report Cement Market Review.