Spain’s cement consumption up 8.3% in February 2015

Turnover of German construction industry supplier Sto increased by 8.3% to €563.1 million (US$742.41 million) in the first half of 2014, partly due to the mild weather. Domestic turnover was up 10.4% to €253.4 million. Foreign turnover grew by 6.6% to €309.7 million, while Ebit rose by 55.3% to €29.2 million. Sto expects turnover in full 2014 to grow by 5%.

The 50th edition of Marmomacc, the landmark international show for the natural stone industry, was getting underway today at Veronafiere in Verona, Italy with more than 1,500 companies taking part.

The Italian natural stone sector posted growth again in the first half of 2015, according to new figures analysed by the Marmomacc-Confindustria Marmomacchine Observatory. Between January and June, Italian exports of marble, granite and natural stone posted an increase of 5.2% compared to the same period in 20

Cement consumption in Spain grew by an encouraging 5% in October 2014, compared with the year-ago period, to reach 1.037 million tonnes. And Oficemen, the Spanish cement manufacturers association, believe national cement consumption could grow by double figures in 2015. The October cement consumption figure and the upbeat forecast for 2015 is a big contrast to Spain’s cement consumption figure for the January 1 to October 31 period, when consumption fell 0.5%, putting the sector's figures at their lowest le

Cement consumption in Spain started 2014 with a fall. In January, demand was down 13.6% at 764,011tonnes, with the sector failing to show signs of a recovery.

In 2013, cement consumption was down 20%, marking the sixth year in a row of double-digit falls. It has been forecast that in the whole of 2014 consumption will be down by 7% to 8%. It is thought that domestic demand will be around 10 million tonnes for the year, with consumption per capita being 220kg per inhabitant.