Apparent cement consumption in the U.S. 2010-2023

The consumption of cement in the United States has steadily increased over the past decade, reaching an estimated 120 million metric tons in 2023. Similarly, cement prices in the U.S. have also increased in recent years, amounting to 150 U.S. dollars per metric ton that same year. Cement consumption is often heavily linked to the demand from the construction industry.

U.S. cement production

The production of cement in the United States was estimated at 91 million metric tons in 2023. Despite having registered a decrease from the previous year, cement production in the North American country has been on a mostly upward trend since 2010. Over the last decade, production figures reached a high of 93 million metric tons in the years 2021 and 2022.

What is cement?

Cement is a powdery substance made from a combination of limestone, clay, shale, sand, and iron ore. Rarely used on its own, when mixed with water and aggregates – such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone – it serves as a binding agent, forming a paste that hardens to produce mortar or concrete. The most commonly used cement in construction is Portland cement, which is a type of hydraulic cement. While hydraulic cement sets in the presence of water, non-hydraulic cement does not set in wet conditions, but through a process of carbonation which involves exposure to CO₂ from the air. China has by far the largest cement production capacity in the world, with the U.S. ranking in fourth place.