Cement & Concrete Product Manufacturing
Description
Companies in this industry manufacture cement, ready-mix concrete, and concrete products such as blocks, pipes, and bricks. Major companies include Martin Marietta and Vulcan Materials (both based in the US), as well as Anhui Conch (China), Cemex (Mexico), CRH (Ireland), HeidelbergCement Group (Germany), and Holcim (Switzerland).
The global market for concrete and cement is anticipated to grow by around $482 billion during the forecast period of 2025 to 2029, according to Technavio. China, India, the US, Turkey, Vietnam, and Brazil are the world's top producers of cement, according to Statista.
The US cement and concrete product manufacturing industry includes about 8,800 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $58 billion.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is determined primarily by nonresidential and residential construction activity. The profitability of individual companies is strongly dependent on efficient operations, as products are commodities and companies compete chiefly on price. Large companies enjoy economies of scale in purchasing and the ability to invest in technologies that improve efficiency. Small manufacturers can compete through superior customer service and by serving small or rural markets. The US industry is fragmented: the top 50 companies account for about 45% of industry revenue.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major products include ready-mix concrete, cement, concrete block, brick, and pipe, and concrete items like beams, girders, and wall panels. Ready-mix concrete accounts for about 50% of industry revenue, followed by Portland cement for about 15% and precast concrete products for about 10%. Other products include precast concrete for prefabricated building systems.
Raw materials, such as sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone, are quarried from open pits or mined in capital-intensive operations using drills, explosives, and heavy machinery. Some cement and concrete products companies also own quarrying or mining operations. Cement is made from limestone that is crushed, finely ground, mixed with clays, and heated to nearly 3,000 degrees in large rotary kilns that are typically fired with oil, gas, or coal dust. The heat-treated material, called "clinker," is ground to powder and mixed with a small amount of gypsum. Cement of various qualities can be made by adding other ingredients. The most common type of cement produced is called portland cement.
Cement is costly to transport and usually shipped via rail or truck. It rarely travels more than 100 to 200 miles from a plant or terminal site, so markets tend to be local. The largest companies tend to have cement plants in multiple countries.
Products are often marketed in areas served by regional plants and terminals. Companies can either operate their own transportation fleets or hire third-party truck or rail companies to ship their products.
Concrete is made by mixing cement with sand and rock (called "aggregate"), and water. The proportions of these ingredients, and the types of aggregate, determine the concrete's physical characteristics. Concrete begins to set within a few hours after being mixed, although total curing takes many days. Cement is often sold to "ready-mix" operators who custom-mix and deliver batches of liquid concrete to construction sites, but some cement manufacturers make their own ready-mix concrete.
The global market for concrete and cement is anticipated to grow by around $482 billion during the forecast period of 2025 to 2029, according to Technavio. China, India, the US, Turkey, Vietnam, and Brazil are the world's top producers of cement, according to Statista.
The US cement and concrete product manufacturing industry includes about 8,800 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $58 billion.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is determined primarily by nonresidential and residential construction activity. The profitability of individual companies is strongly dependent on efficient operations, as products are commodities and companies compete chiefly on price. Large companies enjoy economies of scale in purchasing and the ability to invest in technologies that improve efficiency. Small manufacturers can compete through superior customer service and by serving small or rural markets. The US industry is fragmented: the top 50 companies account for about 45% of industry revenue.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major products include ready-mix concrete, cement, concrete block, brick, and pipe, and concrete items like beams, girders, and wall panels. Ready-mix concrete accounts for about 50% of industry revenue, followed by Portland cement for about 15% and precast concrete products for about 10%. Other products include precast concrete for prefabricated building systems.
Raw materials, such as sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone, are quarried from open pits or mined in capital-intensive operations using drills, explosives, and heavy machinery. Some cement and concrete products companies also own quarrying or mining operations. Cement is made from limestone that is crushed, finely ground, mixed with clays, and heated to nearly 3,000 degrees in large rotary kilns that are typically fired with oil, gas, or coal dust. The heat-treated material, called "clinker," is ground to powder and mixed with a small amount of gypsum. Cement of various qualities can be made by adding other ingredients. The most common type of cement produced is called portland cement.
Cement is costly to transport and usually shipped via rail or truck. It rarely travels more than 100 to 200 miles from a plant or terminal site, so markets tend to be local. The largest companies tend to have cement plants in multiple countries.
Products are often marketed in areas served by regional plants and terminals. Companies can either operate their own transportation fleets or hire third-party truck or rail companies to ship their products.
Concrete is made by mixing cement with sand and rock (called "aggregate"), and water. The proportions of these ingredients, and the types of aggregate, determine the concrete's physical characteristics. Concrete begins to set within a few hours after being mixed, although total curing takes many days. Cement is often sold to "ready-mix" operators who custom-mix and deliver batches of liquid concrete to construction sites, but some cement manufacturers make their own ready-mix concrete.
Table of Contents
- Industry Overview
- Quarterly Industry Update
- Business Challenges
- Business Trends
- Industry Opportunities
- Call Preparation Questions
- Financial Information
- Industry Forecast
- Web Links and Acronyms
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