Colombian cement consumption increased 8.1 per cent to 1.059Mt in July 2014 when compared with the same month a year ago, according to the country's statistics office, Dane. The rise has been attributed to a stronger demand from retail outlets and concrete companies.

Increases were strongest in Huila (+25.6 per cent), Bolívar (+17.3 per cent), Cundinamarca (+16.2 per cent) and Antioquia (+9.8 per cent) while Córdoba saw demand fall by 25.4 per cent.

Grey cement production in Colombia totalled 1,077,400t in July, reflecting a 11.4 per cent rise YoY.

In the first seven months, consumption and production rose by 10.7 and 12.2 per cent, respectively. Demand reached 6,749,700t while output advanced to 6,982,800t.

Norte De Santander recorded the largest variation in demand at 40 per cent, followed by Magdalena (+29.9 per cent), Huila (+24.2 per cent) and Cundinamarca (+19.7 per cent). Smaller relative gains were made in Antioquia (+15.6 per cent) and Bogotá (+4.2 per cent). Córdoba registered a 30.2 per cent drop.