The overall cost of globally imported cement increased by 12.8% for all importing countries from five years earlier in 2019 when international purchases of cement amounted to $13.4 billion.
Year over year, the value for cement imports fell by an average -9.7% compared to $16.7 billion starting from 2022.
An ingredient of concrete, cement is a binder substance often used in construction because it sets, hardens, adheres and binds other materials together.
The 5 biggest importers of cement by value in 2023 were the United States of America, France, United Kingdom, Philippines then the Netherlands. Collectively, those major buyers accounted for about one-third (33%) of cement bought on international markets.
From a continental perspective, buyers in European countries spent the most on imported cement during 2023 with purchases costing $4.5 billion or 29.5% of the global total. In second place were importers located in Asia at 23.5% while another 19.2% of the world’s imported cement was delivered to North America ahead of the 18.2% worth sent to customers in Africa.
Smaller percentages went to clients in Latin America (7.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (2.2%) led by Australia and Fiji.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code prefix for cement is 2523.
Cement Imports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that bought the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2023.
- United States: US$2.7 billion (17.9% of total cement imports)
- France: $626.5 million (4.1%)
- United Kingdom: $610 million (4%)
- Philippines: $551.9 million (3.6%)
- Netherlands: $501.7 million (3.3%)
- Israel: $398.5 million (2.6%)
- Bangladesh: $368.5 million (2.4%)
- Italy: $363.2 million (2.4%)
- Ghana: $341.7 million (2.3%)
- Singapore: $278.9 million (1.8%)
- Ivory Coast: $273 million (1.8%)
- Australia: $266.3 million (1.8%)
- Mali: $256.5 million (1.7%)
- Hungary: $234.8 million (1.6%)
- Hong Kong: $216.4 million (1.4%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 52.8% of all cement imported in 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for cement from 2022 to 2023 were: Hungary (up 41%), Italy (up 37.9%), Mali (up 22.1%) and Australia (up 11.1%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported cement purchases were led by: Bangladesh (down -49.5%), Ghana (down -24.4%), Philippines (down -13.5%) and Israel (down -9.3%).
Top Cement Suppliers to Importers in America
America’s global purchases of imported cement totaled US$2.7 billion in 2023. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the U.S. imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2022 to 2023.
- Türkiye: US$730.2 million (down -15.2% from 2022)
- Canada: $569.4 million (up 10.5%)
- Vietnam: $356.9 million (up 21.2%)
- Mexico: $254.2 million (down -13.7%)
- Greece: $187.8 million (up 1.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: $108.7 million (up 70.3%)
- Colombia: $87.9 million (up 5.3%)
- Algeria: $76.3 million (up 317.7%)
- South Korea: $67 million (down -13.9%)
- Egypt: $44.4 million (down -13.1%)
- France: $41.5 million (down -18.8%)
- Taiwan: $34.2 million (down -15%)
- Saudi Arabia: $25 million (up 51.3%)
- Spain: $22.1 million (up 43.1%)
- Italy: $19.6 million (up 618.2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 97.1% of cement imported by the United States of America in 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cement to the United States from 2022 to 2023 were: Italy (up 618.2%), Algeria (up 317.7%), United Arab Emirates (up 70.3%) and Saudi Arabia (up 51.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cement supplied to American importers included: France (down -18.8% from 2022), Türkiye (down -15.2%), Taiwan (down -15%) and South Korea (down -13.9%).
Overall, the value of America’s imported cement flatlined via an average 0.5% gain from all supplying countries since 2022 when cement purchased cost $2.69 billion.
Top Cement Suppliers to Importers in France
France’s global purchases of imported cement totaled US$626.5 million in 2023. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which France imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2022 to 2023.
- Belgium: US$125.8 million (up 11.1% from 2022)
- Spain: $112.4 million (up 0.3%)
- Algeria: $68.1 million (up 21.5%)
- Luxembourg: $42.6 million (down -8.9%)
- Germany: $36.3 million (down -3.7%)
- Ireland: $34.9 million (up 2957.4%)
- Italy: $34.3 million (up 4.6%)
- Morocco: $23 million (up 22.1%)
- Greece: $18.6 million (up 56.8%)
- Türkiye: $17.1 million (down -47.4%)
- Netherlands: $16.5 million (up 209.5%)
- Vietnam: $15.4 million (down -26.3%)
- Malaysia: $13.2 million (up 8.7%)
- Colombia: $11.3 million (down -2.7%)
- United Kingdom: $10.9 million (down -0.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 92.7% of cement imported by France in 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cement to France from 2022 to 2023 were: Ireland (up 2,957%), Netherlands (up 209.5%), Greece (up 56.8%) and Morocco (up 22.1%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cement supplied to French importers included: Türkiye (down -47.4% from 2022), Vietnam (down -26.3%), Luxembourg (down -8.9%) and Germany (down -3.7%).
Overall, the value of France’s imported cement rose by an average 9.3% from all supplying countries since 2022 when cement purchased cost $572.9 million.
Cement Imports into the United Kingdom
The UK’s global purchases of imported cement totaled US$610 million in 2023. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Britain imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2022 to 2023.
- France: US$29.8 million (up 26.2% from 2022)
- Ireland: $15.1 million (down -21.2%)
- Spain: $10.3 million (down -64.7%)
- Portugal: $6.3 million (up 172.4%)
- Algeria: $4.9 million (down -63.1%)
- Italy: $4.3 million (up 8.4%)
- Croatia: $4 million (up 9.8%)
- Panama: $2.2 million (down 0%)
- Germany: $1.6 million (up 59.6%)
- Türkiye: $1.5 million (up 1700%)
- Netherlands: $619,000 (down -65.8%)
- mainland China: $230,000 (down -1.3%)
- Japan: $211,000 (down -9.4%)
- Belgium: $107,000 (down -62.5%)
- United States of America: $83,000 (down -76.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.9% of cement imported by the UK in 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cement to United Kingdom from 2022 to 2023 were: Türkiye (up 1,700%), Portugal (up 172.4%), Germany (up 59.6%) and France (up 26.2%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cement supplied to UK importers included: United States of America (down -76.7% from 2022), Netherlands (down -65.8%), Spain (down -64.7%) and Algeria (down -63.1%).
Overall, the value of United Kingdom’s imported cement went up by an average 5.5% from all supplying countries since 2022 when cement purchased cost $577.9 million.
Top Cement Suppliers to Importers in the Philippines
Philippines’ global purchases of imported cement totaled US$551.9 million in 2023. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the Philippines imported the highest dollar value worth of cement during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2022 to 2023.
- Vietnam: US$456.1 million (down -4.3% from 2022)
- Indonesia: $35.2 million (down -33.2%)
- Japan: $32.6 million (down -40.1%)
- South Korea: $12.6 million (down -40.6%)
- Malaysia: $6.8 million (down -11.4%)
- Thailand: $3.3 million (down -80.9%)
- United Arab Emirates: $2.9 million (down -22.2%)
- mainland China: $2 million (down -30.1%)
- Egypt: $145,000 (up 74.7%)
- France: $142,000 (down -30%)
- Croatia: $54,000 (up 17.4%)
- Netherlands: $24,000 (down -67.6%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 100% of cement imported by the Philippines in 2023.
Among the above countries, the two growth suppliers of cement to the Philippines were Egypt (up 74.7% from 2022) and Croatia (up 17.4%).
Countries that experienced the severest declines in the value of their cement supplied to Filipino importers were: Thailand (down -80.9% from 2022), Netherlands (down -67.6%), South Korea (down -40.6%), Japan (down -40.1%) and Indonesia (down -33.2%).
Overall, the value of the Philippines’ imported cement dropped by an average -13.5% from all supplying countries since 2022 when cement purchased cost $638.1 million.
Searchable List of Cement Importer Countries in 2023
By value, the top 100 importers of cement in the searchable database below bought 95.1% of all cement imported worldwide.
| Rank | Importer | Cement Imports | 2022-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States | $2,702,807,000 | +0.5% |
| 2. | France | $626,469,000 | +9.3% |
| 3. | United Kingdom | $609,965,000 | +5.5% |
| 4. | Philippines | $551,893,000 | -13.5% |
| 5. | Netherlands | $501,744,000 | -1.6% |
| 6. | Israel | $398,516,000 | -9.3% |
| 7. | Bangladesh | $368,504,000 | -49.5% |
| 8. | Italy | $363,207,000 | +37.9% |
| 9. | Ghana | $341,685,000 | -24.4% |
| 10. | Singapore | $278,882,000 | +0.9% |
| 11. | Ivory Coast | $273,006,000 | -4.2% |
| 12. | Australia | $266,263,000 | +11.1% |
| 13. | Mali | $256,535,000 | +22.1% |
| 14. | Hungary | $234,804,000 | +41% |
| 15. | Hong Kong | $216,390,000 | -7.4% |
| 16. | Belgium | $215,356,000 | -2.1% |
| 17. | Burkina Faso | $205,056,000 | +17.9% |
| 18. | Taiwan | $191,014,000 | -10.7% |
| 19. | Canada | $170,264,000 | -17.5% |
| 20. | Germany | $168,189,000 | -8.7% |
| 21. | Libya | $165,923,000 | +36.1% |
| 22. | Austria | $150,158,000 | +9.8% |
| 23. | Uganda | $140,299,000 | -18.2% |
| 24. | Malaysia | $138,159,000 | +8.3% |
| 25. | Palestine | $136,180,000 | -38.1% |
| 26. | Poland | $135,501,000 | +3.5% |
| 27. | India | $133,936,000 | +20.1% |
| 28. | Sri Lanka | $130,238,000 | -32.3% |
| 29. | Chile | $129,712,000 | -35.8% |
| 30. | Guatemala | $113,679,000 | +8.1% |
| 31. | Haiti | $109,731,000 | +15.5% |
| 32. | Romania | $109,153,000 | +11% |
| 33. | Nicaragua | $103,064,000 | +99.7% |
| 34. | Spain | $96,951,000 | -22.2% |
| 35. | Dominican Republic | $92,180,000 | -18.3% |
| 36. | Sweden | $85,202,000 | +3.2% |
| 37. | Czech Republic | $82,468,000 | +9.1% |
| 38. | Jordan | $82,352,000 | -15.8% |
| 39. | Thailand | $79,954,000 | +18.4% |
| 40. | Madagascar | $78,893,000 | +7.7% |
| 41. | Norway | $78,081,000 | +1.1% |
| 42. | Switzerland | $77,626,000 | +24.4% |
| 43. | Cameroon | $75,222,000 | -33.7% |
| 44. | Georgia | $73,306,000 | +40.4% |
| 45. | Guinea | $72,030,000 | +3.9% |
| 46. | Afghanistan | $70,320,000 | -17.7% |
| 47. | South Africa | $68,510,000 | +15.5% |
| 48. | Denmark | $68,071,000 | +8% |
| 49. | Guyana | $67,979,000 | +61% |
| 50. | Portugal | $67,957,000 | +14.6% |
| 51. | Syria | $67,931,000 | -14.5% |
| 52. | Peru | $65,843,000 | -41.7% |
| 53. | Serbia | $65,543,000 | +37.9% |
| 54. | Mozambique | $65,163,000 | +19.7% |
| 55. | Brazil | $65,037,000 | +32.8% |
| 56. | mainland China | $63,653,000 | -89.4% |
| 57. | Mauritania | $63,348,000 | -6.4% |
| 58. | South Sudan | $63,191,000 | +7% |
| 59. | Uzbekistan | $61,713,000 | -33.4% |
| 60. | El Salvador | $61,657,000 | +19.6% |
| 61. | Slovenia | $60,492,000 | +30.4% |
| 62. | Croatia | $59,752,000 | +18.8% |
| 63. | Zimbabwe | $59,068,000 | +20.7% |
| 64. | Sierra Leone | $58,576,000 | +13.9% |
| 65. | Bulgaria | $56,973,000 | +26.5% |
| 66. | Botswana | $56,085,000 | -1% |
| 67. | Colombia | $55,587,000 | +5.2% |
| 68. | Honduras | $55,177,000 | 0% |
| 69. | Montenegro | $53,810,000 | +33.8% |
| 70. | South Korea | $53,107,000 | +34.7% |
| 71. | Bahrain | $52,252,000 | -16.3% |
| 72. | Mauritius | $51,556,000 | -14.2% |
| 73. | Slovakia | $51,173,000 | +12.2% |
| 74. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $48,197,000 | +1.5% |
| 75. | Rwanda | $47,530,000 | +4.4% |
| 76. | Estonia | $46,914,000 | +2.2% |
| 77. | Kazakhstan | $46,638,000 | -11.2% |
| 78. | Tanzania | $45,562,000 | +5.8% |
| 79. | Malawi | $45,067,000 | +70.4% |
| 80. | Gabon | $43,719,000 | -26.3% |
| 81. | Democratic Rep. Congo | $41,986,000 | +6.2% |
| 82. | Greece | $40,096,000 | +13.4% |
| 83. | Malta | $40,026,000 | +7.6% |
| 84. | Togo | $39,133,000 | -14.2% |
| 85. | Ireland | $37,806,000 | +36.7% |
| 86. | Niger | $37,572,000 | -53.4% |
| 87. | Burundi | $35,425,000 | +13.1% |
| 88. | Albania | $32,842,000 | 0% |
| 89. | Liberia | $32,659,000 | -21.1% |
| 90. | Laos | $32,528,000 | -2.3% |
| 91. | Iceland | $31,011,000 | +5% |
| 92. | Benin | $30,280,000 | -16.8% |
| 93. | Japan | $29,559,000 | -9.8% |
| 94. | Russia | $29,493,000 | -25.8% |
| 95. | Lithuania | $28,855,000 | +492% |
| 96. | Maldives | $28,783,000 | +22.1% |
| 97. | Macao | $28,593,000 | +10.2% |
| 98. | Senegal | $26,154,000 | -67.8% |
| 99. | Timor-Leste | $25,441,000 | +20.6% |
| 100. | Eswatini | $25,398,000 | +1.3% |
Expanding the scope to encompass the 100 most valuable importers of cement, the fastest-growing markets were Lithuania (up 492% from 2022), Nicaragua (up 99.7%), Malawi (up 70.4%), Guyana (up 61%) then Hungary (up 41%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns in the above table.
An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2022 data was available.
See also Cement Exports by Country, America’s Top Trading Partners, China’s Top Trading Partners and Philippines Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on August 4, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 4, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 4, 2024
Wikipedia, Cement. Accessed on August 4, 2024
