Saudi cement companies see a considerable fall in exports

Exports of cement have fallen from 547 000 t in the first nine months of 2012 to 245 000 t in 2013, a decrease of 55%.

Exports in the first nine months of 2013

Three cement companies made up Saudi exports of 245 000 t in 2013:

• Saudi Cement Company (SCC) exported 123 000 t.
• The Eastern Province Cement Co. (EPCC) saw exports of 82 000 t.
• Riyadh Cement Co. (RCC) reported exports of 40 000 t.

Exports in the first nine months of 2012

Five cement manufacturers made up a total of 547 000 t in exports in 2012:

• SCC exported 371 000 t.
• The EPCC announced exports of 103 000 t.
• Jouf Cement Co. (JCC) reported exports of 34 000 t.
• RCC’s exports totalled 26 000 t.
• The Northern Region Cement Co. (NRCC) saw exports of 13 000 t.

As Saudi cement companies experienced a fall in cement exports, clinker imports were on the rise. Imports increased by 382.4%, reaching 1.925 million t in the first nine months of 2013 compared to 399 000 t in the same period in 2012.

Furthermore, total profits of the aforementioned cement companies dropped by 4% y/y to SR1.07 billion compared to SR1.12 billion in 2012. However, profits of the cement sector saw an increase of 9% y/y in the first nine months of 2013, reaching SR4.7 billion compared to SR4.3 billion in 2012.

Read the 3Q13 results for Saudi cement manufacturers here.

Edited from various sources by Rosalie Starling

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/africa-middle-east/04112013/saudi_cement_companies_see_a_considerable_fall_in_exports_373/