RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s cement sector registered a sharp upswing in the second quarter of the year, with total sales by the Kingdom’s 17 producers reaching 13.13 million tonnes.
According to figures by Riyadh-based Al-Yamama Cement, this marks a 21 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
The rise was driven almost entirely by local demand, which accounted for 97 percent of all dispatches and increased by 23 percent year on year. Export volumes decreased by 16 percent, accounting for only 3 percent of total cement sales during the quarter.
“Key drivers based on our market analysis are, first, the megaprojects activation: progress in Neom, ROSHN, Diriyah, and The Line translated into large batch cement drawdowns, particularly in Tabuk, Riyadh, and Eastern regions,” said Amr Nader, cement expert and CEO of UAE-based advisory firm A³&Co.
Nader told Arab News that another factor was seasonal acceleration. With both Ramadan and the Hajj season falling in the second quarter, periods when construction activity typically slows due to reduced working hours and labor availability, contractors advanced cement purchases.
