The statistics gathered by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism for October position this month as the second best of 2024 so far in terms of cement consumption in Catalonia. The 195,000 tons used represent a 7.1% increase compared to the same month in 2023 and place the annual consumption (summing the last 12 months) at 2.1 million tons, with a slight decrease of 2.7% compared to the previous period. This confirms the trend toward the stabilization of the Catalan market, which had experienced a loss of 11.5% in March 2024.
The positive data from October is also reflected in production, with a 9.6% increase, and especially in exports, which grew by 86.9%, always compared to October 2023. This helps flatten the annual variation in production (+0.8%) and reduces the scale of the drop in sales to foreign markets (-17.9%).
It must be said that these statistics are largely aligned with those of Spain as a whole. The increase in the cumulative amount of tenders in Building and Civil Works by Public Administrations during 2024, as well as the growth in permits for Non-Residential Building and Housing, have contributed to this market recovery.
For Salvador Fernández Capo, president of Ciment Català, the most important thing at this moment “is to address, both from a legislative and financial perspective, the processes for the decarbonization of the sector,” in line with the new objectives set by both the European Union and the European sector federation, Cembureau. In this regard, he emphasizes the need for “agility from the Public Administration when processing permits for the necessary new installations, as well as applications for European innovation funds (Next Generation funds).”