UK producers take the strain
Recent financials by UK cement majors, Holcim, Lafarge and Heidelberg indicate signs of weakening sales in the UK. Heidelberg, which sells cement in the UK through its Castle Cement business, said demand in the UK had "weakened as a result of the decline in residential construction". Holcim said that while Aggregate Industries had "almost maintained its deliveries of aggregates", sales had actually decreased when seasonal adjustments were taken into consideration. However, its readymix volumes increased, thanks to the strength of the market in London and the South-east. Lafarge revealed cement sales volumes in the UK had dipped by 7.8 per cent on last year’s figures and ready-mixed concrete volumes had similarly fallen by 7.7 per cent. Published under Cement News
