Swiss cement sales up

Domestic sales of the Swiss cement industry rose 14.1 per cent year-on-year to 1.28Mt in the second quarter of 2005, the industry association Cemsuisse said on July 8, 2005.  A total 49.4 per cent of the cement deliveries were transported by rail and 50.6 per cent by road in the second quarter of 2005.  In the first half of 2005, cement sales rose 8.1 per cent year-on-year due to the higher construction activity, primarily in the building construction sector.  Cemsuisse expects a 6.0 per cent year-on-year rise in cement sales for the whole 2005.