Holcim's cement sales in Romania down 1%, aggregate sales perform better

Swiss cement producer Holcim saw its cement and clinker sales down 1 percent in Romania in the first half of this year, compared to H1 2011, while the cement prices were up 1.2 percent, according to the group, which did not mention sales figures. Mid last year, Holcim's sales were up over 10 percent in Romania. Things were better on the aggregates side, when the company had 19.8 percent greater product volumes, while prices were also up 14.3 percent. “Holcim Hungary and Holcim Romania did, however, come close to matching their previous year’s levels. In the aggregates segment, the Group companies in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Serbia reported higher sales volumes. Driven by Holcim Romania and Holcim Croatia, sales of ready-mix concrete in Eastern Europe just about held steady,” states the company's report. The drop in Romania was lower than in Europe, where Holcim's sales nosedived by 6.3 percent in the first six months. Spain, a country where many Romanians used to work in construction, accounted for the biggest decline - 32.2 percent, followed by Romania's neighbor Bulgaria, with a drop of 30.1 percent. Italy, another favorite for Romanian construction, was also down 29.9 percent. Worldwide, Holcim''s sales were up 2.1 percent, to some CHF 10 billion (the equivalent of some EUR 8.3 billion). Holcim Romania has two cement plants in Campulung and Alesd, and one grinding station in Turda, 19 ecological concrete stations, 5 aggregate plants and a cement terminal in Bucharest. The full H1 results presentation here. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Holcim)