Russian cement to hit Mexican market

A new cement company from Mexico dubbed CDM (Comercio para el Desarrollo Mexicano) will start importing Russian cement this month via Tampico port on Mexico’s Atlantic coast, local newspapers reported.

The first shipment due July 15 or 16 will arrive with roughly 37,000t of cement destined for construction and concrete firms in northern Mexico - especially Monterrey in Nuevo León state.

"Our goal is to import what the market allows, though in the first year we hope to sell upwards of 500,000t of cement," CDM advisor Ricardo Alessio was quoted as saying in La Reforma.

Though imported cement is generally cheaper than domestic brands, the country would impose a 13 per cent import duty on Russian products. Further, the national cement chamber could attempt to protect domestic companies by blocking major imports.

Imports represent roughly 0.3 per cent of Mexican cement production, which is estimated to total roughly 32.5Mt this year, El Norte reported. CDM is made up of Mexican investors plus Spain’s Tradeland Commodities and Greece’s Sekur Holding.