Statistics at a Glance

Portland Cement Consumption	Apr 08
Masonry Cement Consumption	Apr 08
Cement & Clinker Imports	Apr 08
Mortgage Rates	May 08
Housing Starts	May 08
Nonresidential Construction	Apr 08
Public Construction	Apr 08

Market Performance

• U.S. Monitor
• Canadian Monitor
• U.S. Tracking Report
• Canadian Tracking Report
• Competitive Materials Cost Indices, Canada

Industry Data

• 2007 North American Cement Industry Annual Yearbook
• U.S. and Canadian Portland Cement Industry: Plant Information Summary
• Labor-Energy Survey, 2006
  

U.S. Market Pulse

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Canadian Market Pulse

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Forecasts & Analysis:

Web Cast

Cement Outlook: 2008
The latest Portland Cement Association forecast of cement, concrete, and construction predicts a 12 percent decline in cement consumption in 2008, followed by another 6 percent drop in 2009.

Listen to PCA Chief Economist Ed Sullivan's Webcast of his outlook for 2008 and beyond.

U.S. Forecast, Summer 2008

High energy costs, rising inflation, sustained tight lending conditions, emerging stresses in the finance and banking industries, and the expectation of higher interest rates are the key ingredients of a toxic cocktail that could delay the economic recovery.

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Long-Term Cement Consumption Outlook – 2008

Portland cement consumption is expected to grow 43% by 2030, reaching 183 million metric tons and reflecting a 55 million metric ton increase comparable to 2005’s past cyclical peak level. PCA expects the combination of sustained moderate economic and population growth will fuel this increase.

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Canadian Forecast, Summer 2008

The domestic economy continues to balance positively against trade sector weakness by providing sound gains in employment and wages which are translating into firm consumer spending. The external economy on the other hand continues to feel pressure from a high dollar, high energy input costs, and deteriorating U.S. demand. Overall housing demand is weakening and is expected to cool this year and next. PCA forecasts Portland cement consumption to grow by a subdued 1.2% in 2008, followed by a 1.6% gain in 2009.

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State Forecasts

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Flash Reports:

Housing Holding to PCA’s Dismal Outlook, June 30, 2008

The residential sector will act as a significant drag on cement consumption during 2008. PCA expects cement consumption will decline by 12.1 million metric tons during 2008. Roughly half of that decline is attributed to continued weakness in single family construction (6.2 million metric tons).

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Green Building and Highway Requirements: National Perspective, May 7, 2008

During the past 25 years, investment in highways and roads has not kept pace with demographic changes. Lack of investment in highways has led to increased traffic congestion, wasted fuel, higher CO₂ emissions, wasted time and increased logistical costs to the detriment of economic growth. Ongoing demographic changes during the next 25 years will bring even more pressure on the highway infrastructure. Lacking accelerated investment in highways, traffic congestion will worsen leading to increases in wasted fuel, CO₂ emissions, wasted time and to overall cost to the nation’s economy

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Capacity Expansion Update, August 5, 2008

Coinciding with weak cement consumption is an aggressive industry wide $7 billion expansion of clinker capacity. Imbalances are expected to characterize the market during the next three years, resulting in elevated inventories, import reductions, prolonged maintenance downtimes, lower kiln utilization rates, the accelerated retirement of wet kilns, and potentially the postponement and delay in planned commissioning dates for new plants.

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Residential Outlook: Recession Risks, Feb. 22, 2008

The United States cement industry has announced plans to increase clinker capacity by nearly 25 million metric tons between 2007 and 2012.
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Florida’s Cement Outlook: Recession Risks, Feb. 7, 2008

Already grim market conditions facing Florida’s cement market may worsen in 2008 and 2009. PCA believes that Florida’s economy has already entered a recession, or soon will. The housing crisis and general economic slowdown is expected to spread to nonresidential and public construction in 2008 and 2009 – adversely affecting cement consumption.
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