The consumption of cement falls 20% in 2013

The consumption of cement in Spain will close the year, according to the forecasts of Oficemen, with a total descent of 20%, registering like this, by sixth consecutive year, falls of two digits. The inner demand will situate underneath of the 11 million tonnes. To closing of November, the consumption accumulated situated in only 10,2 million tonnes, 20% less than in the same period of the previous year. Spain consumes today 45 million tonnes of cement less than in 2007, what supposes a fall of 80% from the start of the crisis.

Besides, the Grouping of manufacturers of cement of Spain considers that this downward trend will keep also during 2014, with a new descent between the 7 and 8%. This forecast would situate the domestic demand around 10 million tonnes and the per capita consumption in only 220 kg by inhabitant, figure so raquítica that we have to trace us back to 1962 to find a similar data. While, Morocco, for example, reached in 2012 a per capita consumption of 526 kg.

“The sector will not begin to go out of the crisis, predictably, until the year 2015 and only if it goes back to flow the credit and reactivate other variables like the employment, the consumption and the house. And with them the recovery of the public investment, indispensable in Spain not to lose the train of our European neighbours”, explains the president of Oficemen, Isidoro Miranda.

From the start of the crisis, the companies cementeras of our country have realizar important efforts to go out to the outside. In fact, at present, Spain represents 18% of the exports of cement of the EU, what converts to the sector cementero Spanish in the first exporter of cement of the EU, by in front of Germany (14,4%). Besides, our country represents 25% of the total of the exports of the EU with destination to countries no community.

However, the final price of the electricity in Spain is one of the most expensive of Europe as it has recognised the Ministry of Industry, what is braking the exporting capacity of the sector cementero Spanish. Our industry fears that this situation worsen the next year, given the terms established by the electrical reform.

“The electricity Is turning into Spain in a luxury near at hand of few industrial and, if they do not take urgent measures, soon will not be near at hand of any”, signals Isidoro Miranda. “We know that our industry is so efficient like the one of other countries of our surroundings, and even more as they show our exports, thus we request the institutional support that deserve. We will not be able to subsistir without the exports, are our salvation while it recovers the domestic market. We need to have a competitive electrical cost to continue with our activity and keep the employment”, adds Miranda.