Saudi cement sales jump 33 per cent in July

Saudi cement sales jump 33 per cent in July
01 September 2009


Saudi cement sales rose 33.4 percent in July with some producers reporting their highest-ever monthly sales, NCB Capital said on Sunday.

The Saudi investment company said total sales stood at 3.45Mt for the month, compared to 2.66Mt for the same period last year.

It said sales rose 4.7 per cent month-on-month.

Yamama Cement and Saudi Cement reported their highest-ever monthly sales in July, NCBC said.

It said cement exports rose 56 per cent to 109,000t in July, compared to 70,000t a year ago, boosted mainly by Northern Region Cement Co (NRCC).

Month-on-month cement exports rose just two per cent, it added.

NCBC said the jump in exports was primarily due to selective approvals granted to certain cement companies by the government.

NRCC and Tabuk Cement - along with Saudi Cement and Eastern Province Cement – have been given permission to resume exports, it said.

Saudi Arabia has had restrictions placed on cement exports since June 2008, which prohibits the majority of producers from exporting outside the kingdom.

NCBC said cement firms produced 3.61Mt of cement in July, up 34.6 per cent on the same period last year and an 8 percent increase over the previous month.
Published under Cement News