Cement industry expects higher growth in March

Domestic sales of cement in Peru grew by 5.3 per cent in February, to a total volume of 320,283t, according to the industry association, Asocem (Asociacion de Productores de Cemento). The organization is predicting that the trend will continue in March, with estimated growth of 6.6 per cent. In terms of individual companies, Asocem says that Cementos Lima will see its sales up by 6.6 per cent, based on demand from the government’s housing program, while Cementos Pacasmayo will see a 16.4 per cent gain, due to public and private investment in the north of the country. Both these companies are credited with major contributions to the overall 5.3 per cent increase in February, with increases, respectively, of 1.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent in sales.

The Cementos Selva company experienced an increase in sales of 35.5 per cent in February, based on highway construction projects, while Cemento Andino’s sales were up by 17.8 per cent, boosted by the construction of a fractionating plant related to the Camisea natural gas project, demand from the Yanacocha mine and contracts from Sedepal. Two cement companies, Cementos Yura and Cementos Sur, suffered losses of 5.7 per cent and 2.7 per cent, respectively, in February.