In recent years, cement from Vietnam has gained importance in terms of the amount purchased, as from January to September 2018 they represented 10% of total regional imports and for the same period in 2020 the proportion rose to 30%.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graph"]
El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua were the Central American markets that increased their hydraulic cement imports in the first half of 2020 in year-on-year terms.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
During the first quarter of 2020, Central American companies imported hydraulic cement for $48 million, and purchases from Turkey increased 154% compared to the same period in 2019.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graph"]
The Legislative Assembly approved in second debate a bill that aims to tax in the country the sale and self-consumption of imported or locally produced cement.
The initiative, which was approved in the first debate in the Assembly in mid-February and is still pending approval by the Executive Branch, establishes that the tax will be on imported cement produced nationally, in bags or in bulk, for sale or self-consumption, of any kind, whose destination is the consumption and marketing of the product nationally.
The Assembly approved in first debate a bill that seeks to tax the sale and self-consumption of cement that is imported or locally produced.
The initiative establishes that the tax will be on cement imported and produced nationally, in bags or in bulk, for sale or self-consumption, of any kind, whose destination is the consumption and marketing of the product at the national level, reported the Legislative Assembly.
During the first quarter of 2019, Central American companies imported hydraulic cement for $47 million, and purchases from companies in Vietnam increased 155% over the same period in 2018.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
In the first three months of 2018, countries in Central America imported $36 million worth of hydraulic cement, 9% more than was purchased in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Information System on the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
In the first nine months of 2017, countries in the region imported $110 million worth of hydraulic cement, 38% more than was purchased in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
The cement production plant that Plycem is to build on a 50,000 square meter site in Esparza, Puntarenas, will start operations in the first quarter of 2018.
The cement that will be manufactured at the plant will be of the Cementos Fortaleza brand, and part of its production will be sold locally.
"According to a press release, with the start-up of the new plant, the company will be able to self-supply the main raw material used in the manufacture of fibro-cement products."
In the last year, 56 environmental impact studies were presented for the construction of industrial plants in Central American countries.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, includes an up to date list of public and private construction projects for which environmental impact studies (EIA) were submitted to the respective institutions in each country.
In the coming weeks, a new cement production plant owned by the Mexican company Cementos Fortaleza will start operating in Costa Rica.
The arrival of Cementos Fortaleza into the Costa Rican market will be managed by the company Plycem, which, like Cementos Fortaleza, is part of the Elementia group owned by businessman Carlos Slim.The cement-producing plant will be located in Barranca de Puntarenas, according to confirmation given to Nacion.com by Olman Vargas, executive director of the Federated College of Engineers and Architects (CFIA).
In 2016 intraregional trade in hydraulic cement totaled $59 million, 18% less than in 2015, and the main exporter is still Costa Rica.
Figures from the information system on the the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
Between January and September 2016, the value of trade in hydraulic cement between countries of the region amounted to $48 million, 14% less than the same period in 2015.
Figures from the information system on the the Hydraulic Cement Market in Central America , compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Clic para interactuar con la gráfica"]
The lower speed at which cement prices are growing is due to a dip in production costs and the market opening up to imports of the product from China.
The completion of large-scale construction projects, such as the Reventazon hydroelectric station, also explains the change in the price of cement which has gone from 7.8% in the first quarter of 2015 to 1.5% in the same period this year.
The Constitutional Court has rejected the appeal made by Holcim which protested against the 5% tax on the sale of cement produced in some provinces.
The Swiss company Holcim Capital won an appeal against the Law on 5% Tax on the sale of the cement produced in three provinces: Cartago, Guanacaste and San Jose, considering it "discriminatory" and harmful to their competitiveness.