U.S. cement manufacturers have ample production capacity to meet increased demand from infrastructure revitalization efforts being contemplated by the Trump Administration and Congress, an analysis from the Portland Cement Association (PCA) concluded.
Taking into account specific proposed infrastructure projects and known economic drivers – including projects aimed at restoring the nation’s highways, waterways, pipelines, runways and even a potential border wall – PCA determined that the U.S. cement industry would have more than enough capacity to meet even the most challenging infrastructure revitalization program.
The U.S. cement industry is currently operating at roughly 79 percent of capacity, estimated at 108 million metric tons per year. Besides domestic cement plants, the industry also operates shipping terminals for importing and exporting cement. Including imports, PCA estimates the U.S. cement industry is capable of supplying over 150 million metric tons of cement each year.
According to PCA, U.S. cement plants added 1.3 million metric tons of capacity in 2016 alone. U.S. cement producers have announced plant expansion plans that could result in an additional 1.6 million metric tons of capacity by 2018.
Activities related to cement and concrete production in the U.S. employ nearly 535,000 workers, with a total annual payroll of approximately $25 billion. Of this, cement manufacturing represents over 14,300 workers with an annual payroll of about $1 billion
