Brazil: Cement sales in December 2025 reached 4.9Mt, up by 5% year-on-year, according to data from the National Cement Industry Union (SNIC). Total cement sales for 2025 amounted to 67Mt, a year-on-year increase of 4%, equivalent to an additional 2.4Mt compared to 2024.
The performance consolidated the recovery that began in 2024, when sales rose by 4%. Despite the improvement, volumes remain below the historical peak of 73Mt recorded in 2014. All regions showed cumulative growth during the year, led by the Northeast at 7%, followed by the North at 4%, South at 3%, Southeast at 3% and Midwest at 2%.
SNIC said that a strong labour market supported demand, with unemployment falling to 5% in November 2025, the lowest level on record, while 103 million people were employed and average income hit a historic high. These factors expanded the wage bill, which has a strong correlation with cement consumption. However, the year was also marked by slowing GDP growth and tight monetary policy. The Selic interest rate (set by the Central Bank of Brazil) stood at 15% from June 2025 onwards, its highest level since July 2006, constraining mortgage lending. High household indebtedness, affecting 49% of income, and record defaults of 80.4 million people in October further pressured household budgets.
In housing, the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (MCMV) programme remained a key driver for cement demand. By September 2025, housing launches under the programme rose by 7.9% year-on-year, while sales increased by 16%. The North stood out, with MCMV accounting for 60% of new launches, while the Southeast recorded the highest number of units launched, at 34,000 properties in the third quarter of 2025.
On sustainability, SNIC said that Brazil continues to have one of the lowest cement carbon intensities globally, at 580kg CO₂/t. Co-processing reached 30% of the sector’s energy mix in 2025, equivalent to 3Mt of waste and biomass, avoiding 2.8Mt of CO₂ emissions.
“The performance of the Brazilian cement industry in 2025 was in line with SNIC's projections, supported by the MCMV programme and the advancement in infrastructure, strengthening concrete pavement as a strategic and sustainable solution. We also celebrate the success of our environmental agenda, with a record in co-processing and the launch of the Net Zero Roadmap during COP 30. We closed the year consolidating the recovery, but attentive to the economic situation, especially the Selic rate and the impact of indebtedness on family income,” said Paulo Camillo Penna, president of SNIC.
