Cement sales in southern Africa were up 0.8% year-on-year (y/y) in December to 921,570 million tons, data from the Cement and Concrete Institute showed on Tuesday.

The institute noted that December 2008 had two more sales days than the same month last year, and if the increase is taken into account, total regional sales were 9.3% lower than in December 2007.

Regional sales are down 3.9% at 14.719 million tons on a year-to-date basis.

The moving annual total in southern Africa was down 3.9% y/y in December to 14.7 million tons.

Exports to other countries excluding Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia rose by 158.1% to 18,385 tons, bringing total exports sales since the beginning of the year to 153,065 tons - down 28.2% on a year-to-date basis                                                        

The 2010 Soccer World Cup stadia, some new dams and the Gautrain project should add to cement demand in the current year

South African cement sales for May exceeded one million tons for the first time since November 2004, the Cement and Concrete Institute has reported.

Domestic cement producers have benefited handsomely from the strong rise

SA cement sales rose by only 2.1% year-on-year in March 2005 to 924,652 tons, but this is due to Easter falling in March this year

SA cement sales rose by 12.1% year-on-year to 862,252 tons in February, ending two months of slowing year-on-year increases

The past year was an outstanding year for the South African cement industry with several sales records being broken, John Sheath, marketing manager of the Cement & Concrete Institute, has reported.

Domestic cement sales grew ahead of expectation in the December quarter, despite signs of strain in the building sector, SA's largest cement producer

Cement sales in the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) increased 5.7 percent last month as economic growth spurred demand from the construction industry.

Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) reported a 38% jump in headline earnings per share to 1154 cents for the year ended September 30 from 838.3 cents a year ago