Cement industry set to soar by 1bn tonnes within 2 years

Cement production is predicted to soar by almost 1bn tonnes over the next two years, as demand rises in China and the Middle East.

Experts say the global production of cement will rise from 2.7bn tonnes in 2007 to 3.4bn tonnes by 2010.

Consulted for the report The Cement Industry in Europe, the experts said that while most cement production had occurred in China, UK companies had also played a part in the upturn.

Massive consolidation in the industry, particularly in Europe, had led to major cement manufacturers acquiring UK construction companies producing ready mixed cement, such as Hanson.

The report said global industry growth would arise from an additional 648m tonnes of capacity to come online by 2010, most of it destined for China.

It said cement production in Asian countries was more than three times the combined production of the rest of the world and would continue to soar.