The Portland Cement Association’s spring forecast calls for strong to moderate growth for cement consumption through 2019–up 2.3 percent–and into 2020. This marks a marginal slowing in the pace of growth compared to PCA’s fall 2018 forecast.
“Private construction growth, being an interest rate-sensitive sector, is expected to slow under the weight of higher interest rates. Cement consumption growth will slow as a result,” says PCA Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Ed Sullivan. “Absent a new near-term infrastructure program, public sector cement consumption is also expected to slow as transportation investment takes a back seat to high state spending priorities.”
Overall, the pace of cement consumption growth is expected to soften each year through 2021.
