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UK cement production has hit its lowest level since 1950, according to new data from the Mineral Products Association (MPA).

The UK made 7.3 million tonnes of cement in 2024, which is around half of what it produced in 1990.  Meanwhile, imports have soared as UK plants fall under foreign ownership. 

It follows recent MPA data showing ready-mix concrete sales hit historic lows in the second quarter of 2025, with other materials also down on the previous year. 

The drop in cement production puts the government’s house-building and infrastructure plans at risk, the MPA is warning, since cement is vital for building foundations and structures. Up to 750,000 tonnes of cement could be required for a project like Sizewell C and nearly 8,000 tonnes for a new hospital, while between three and five tonnes are needed to build a traditional four-bedroom family house.

While UK production has fallen, cement imports to the UK have nearly tripled over the past 20 years, rising from 12% of all sales in 2008 to 32% in 2024. This leaves construction supply chains increasingly exposed to the risks of volatile international markets. Around 40% of UK cement is made in the Peak District, while the remaining 60% is spread across all four nations of the UK, providing well-paid, productive jobs. However, as imports rise, there is a risk that domestic jobs could disappear in the future.

The UK’s cement plants are battling some of the highest industrial electricity prices among developed nations and uneven carbon taxation, which means importers – especially those outside of the EU – don’t pay the same costs for their emissions. The UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is intended to address this from 2027, but it needs to be supported with a procurement policy that prioritises domestically produced materials, the MPA says.

Diana Casey, executive director for cement and lime at the Mineral Products Association, said: “Cement is an essential industry, but the sector is increasingly under threat. We’re calling on the government to help put domestic production on a level playing field so that it can compete fairly with imports.   

“Cement quite literally underpins the nation’s growth and we can’t deliver new homes, schools, hospitals, transport links or clean energy infrastructure without it. The UK has a choice: to build these vital development projects with UK-made cement, or to build them with imports – sending jobs, investment and economic growth overseas.”    

Most UK cement plants are under foreign ownership anyway – Cemex, Heidelberg, Holcim and CRH for example – which makes their future even more precarious, it could be argued.

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