Kiosk360. A note from the Department of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF), relating to the month of September, reveals a downward trend in cement sales. This article is a press review taken from the daily Les Inspirations Eco.
A note from the Department of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF), relating to the month of September, indicates that despite a slight attenuation recorded in August, the sector continues to suffer. The overall downward trend in cement sales, observed from March, continues.
These sales fell by 5.4% last August, after registering a drop of 12.4% between March and July. At the end of the first eight months of the year, cement sales fell by 7.2%, after an increase of 5.8% at the end of February 2022. As a reminder, they had recorded growth of 19.3% at the end of August 2021. Compared to their pre-crisis level, they are down 7.7%, indicates the daily Eco Inspirations in its edition of Tuesday, October 4.
The attenuation of the drop, year on year, recorded during the month of August of this year, is linked in particular to the good performance recorded in the sales of the ready-mixed concrete segments (+31%), the building (+17.6%) and infrastructure (+11%), which mitigated the declines recorded in the marketing of the “distribution” (-15.7%) and “prefabricated” (-2.7%) segments ). At the end of August, the cumulative sales of “ready-mixed concrete” and “infrastructure” grew respectively by +5.4% and +6.7%.
These data are corroborated by the quarterly business survey drawn up by the High Commission for Planning (HCP). It follows that in the 2nd quarter of 2022, “construction” activity will have experienced stability, due to the maintenance of the level recorded in “civil engineering” and the increase in activity observed in “construction of buildings”. . A trend that is reflected in the order books which would, however, be below normal. As for employment, it would have remained at the same level. Under these conditions, production capacity utilization (TUC) in the sector would have been 75%.
It should be noted that the forecasts for the 3rd quarter highlighted the fear of a fall in activity which would be mainly due to the contraction in activity expected in “civil engineering”. This development would be accompanied by a stable workforce. In the 3rd quarter, the HCP survey indicates that 42% of business leaders operating in the sector would encounter difficulties in the supply of raw materials. And things aren’t much better when it comes to cash flow, which 66% of them find difficult.