Cement demand in El Salvador rose sharply this year, driven by accelerated construction activity across the country. According to Central Reserve Bank (BCR) data, companies required 34.3m bags of cement (42.5kg) between January and August 2025—22 per cent more than the 28.1m bags consumed in the same period last year. In August alone, demand reached 3.9m bags, up from 3.5m in August 2024.
Luis Rodríguez, director of the San Salvador Metropolitan Planning Office (OPAMSS), said cement producers are reinforcing production and distribution capacity to keep pace with demand. Holcim El Salvador reported a 20 per cent increase in sales volumes this year, with executive director Manuel Arrieta noting that the company achieved “the historical record of production in the country” in the second half of 2025. Holcim operates two plants in Metapán and expects to surpass current production records next year.
The company has sold more than 1.2Mt of cement in 2025 and has invested nearly US$80m over the past five years in capacity expansion and sustainable technologies.
Imports are also rising. From January to October, El Salvador imported 614,000t of hydraulic cement, mainly from Guatemala, Vietnam and Japan—worth US$51.6m. Rodríguez said overall construction materials passing through Acajutla port have increased by 60 per cent.
The surge does not include informal retail sales, which remain substantial. Small-scale construction has expanded significantly, with OPAMSS recording 689 minor projects this year versus just 31 in 2023. This activity aligns with strong sector performance; construction grew 29.8 per cent in August, driven by more than 120 ongoing housing developments.
