Cement production in Czech Republic slower decline in 2010
Cement production in the Czech Republic kept falling last year, but at a slower rate than 2009. Production amounted to .3.3Mta, down eight per cent against 2009, according to data from the Association of Cement Producers.
In 2009 cement production plunged by 23 per cent.
Cement producers are still feeling the impact of the downturn in construction caused by the government’s austerity measures and weak demand from private companies.
"Cement consumption has been and still is influenced by the government’s austerity measures which lead to gradual cuts in the financing of public orders," Jan Hrozek, chairman of the board of cement producer Ceskomoravsky cement, told CTK.
Private investors cannot be sure that their investments will return and housing construction does not fare well either.
Czech producers sold 2.9Mt of cement in 2010, down 12 per cent YoY. Exports grew by nine per cent to 528,252t and imports decreased by 21 per cent to 696,002t.
However, cement producers and other companies in construction are not yet over the worst.
"Construction can be expected to hit the very bottom this year. If there is not enough money in particular for infrastructure projects, the fall in cement consumption cannot be stopped in 2011," Hrozek noted.
He expects the construction sector to stabilise only in 2012.
Published under Cement News
