Cement Crisis: Masonry Sector Faces Growing Challenges as Domestic Production Hits 75-Year Low

Cement production in the UK has plummeted to its lowest level since 1950, with serious implications for the masonry industry, which relies on it as a foundational material. According to the Mineral Products Association (MPA), just 7.3 million tonnes of cement were produced domestically in 2024—roughly half of the output recorded in 1990.

A Link in the Supply Chain Under Pressure

This decline signals a notable shift within the building materials landscape:

• Imports now account for nearly one-third of cement supply, having surged from just 12 % of UK consumption in 2008 to 32 % in 2024. While imports fill gaps, they expose masonry businesses to risks associated with fluctuating global markets and logistical uncertainties.

• Meanwhile, manufacturers cite soaring energy costs, stringent regulatory burdens, and uneven carbon taxation as key obstacles compromising competitiveness. Cement imports—especially from outside the EU—often evade the emissions-related costs born by UK producers.

• Although a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is slated for implementation in 2027, the MPA stresses that it must be accompanied by procurement policies prioritising domestically produced materials, to safeguard British industry.

Dr. Diana Casey, MPA Executive Director for Cement and Lime, underscores the stakes:

“Cement quite literally underpins the nation’s growth… 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.”

Masonry Industry Impact: A Closer Look

For masons, the squeeze on cement supply directly translates into operational pressure:

• Cost Volatility: Greater reliance on imports introduces susceptibility to international price fluctuations, tariffs, and shipping delays—all of which can inflate material costs unpredictably.

• Supply Chain Fragility: Dependence on external sources raises concerns over consistency in availability and reliability, impacting project timelines and delivery.

• Local Ceramic & Bricks Supply: Many masonry contractors depend on timely cement delivery to produce mortar, render, and other essential substrates. Reduced local output could compromise these chains.

• Pressure on Domestic Infrastructure Projects: With initiatives like housebuilding, schools, hospitals, and clean-energy infrastructure underway, restricted cement capacity threatens to delay whole categories of stone, brick, and block work

The Financial Times adds context, reporting that output in the UK’s energy-intensive industries, including cement, concrete, ceramics, and glass, has dropped dramatically—by over 30% from 2021 to 2024—driven largely by surging energy prices. Separately, concrete sales, closely linked to cement demand, have plunged to their lowest level since 1963. Ready-mixed concrete volumes dropped to just 2.7 million cubic metres in Q2 2025, the lowest in over six decades.

What Masonry Firms Should Watch—and Do

This situation serves as a stark reminder: cement is not just a construction material—it’s the backbone of masonry work, too. For masons across the UK, sustained challenges in domestic cement production threaten project delivery, regional employment, and craftsmanship traditions. It underscores the need for strategic sourcing, industry solidarity, and robust government engagement to ensure masonry—and the structures it builds—remains resilient.