Cement shortages hit Northern Ireland

Cement shortages hit Northern Ireland
06 July 2007


Northern Irish concrete producers are the latest to be hit by cement shortages, according to reports from ’Contract Journall’, UK. 
 
They have been told delivery volumes will be cut by 20 per cent in a bid to eke out existing supplies.  
 
Producer LafargeCement contacted precast and ready mixed concrete supply firms in Northern Ireland last month, warning them that because of technical production problems it would be unable to supply all of their cement.  
 
It is limiting companies to 80 per cent of their normal supply.  
 
A spokesman for LafargeCement admitted it was having to limit supplies but claimed its Cookstown, Co Tyrone plant was working at full capacity.  
 
He blamed restrictions in the supply of cement alternatives for the shortages. He said: "Cookstown plant is running at full tilt and we’ve postponed its annual maintenance shutdown.  
 
Unfortunately demand is up on last year and we have had our own slag supplies halved."  
Published under Cement News