The prices of ready-mixed concrete in the United Kingdom increased by just **** percent in 2024. Although the cost of cement and pre-cast concrete also increased significantly that year, the price of concrete-reinforcing bars in 2024 fell by ***** percent lower than in 2024. These figures are an index based on the prices of 2015, which have been set at 100. This serves the purpose of showing the price evolution of this construction material.

Cement Price in the UK - 2023. Find the latest marketing data on the IndexBox platform.

The prices of many construction materials in the United Kingdom kept increasing in 2024, but more moderately than in previous years. There were also several building materials whose prices fell that year. One of the most extreme examples was the price of flexible plastic pipes and fittings, which rose by over ** percent that year. The price of a couple steel products fell by over ** percent that year. In late 2024, copper-based products were among the building materials with the highest price increases in the U.S.

The average cement pipe import price stood at $1,451 per ton in March 2025, surging by 8.9% against the previous month.

Concrete, cement and plaster product manufacturing revenue is anticipated to climb at a compound annual rate of 2.1% over the five years through 2025 to €163.9 billion, including an estimated increase of 1.4% in 2025. Construction product sales are hugely influenced by activity in the residential and non-residential construction markets, which depend on factors like exchange rates, supply chain disruptions and trading frictions. Concrete, cement and plaster product manufacturers have contended with numerous economic headwinds in recent years, like rampant inflation decimating demand and fierce supply chain disruptions ratcheting up purchase costs and weighing on profitability. After navigating their way through the COVID-19 outbreak, manufacturers were hit by supply chain disruptions and worker shortages, ramping up production costs. These disruptions were exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, which caused energy prices to skyrocket. This hit manufacturers of products like brick and cement especially hard, given their energy-intensive production process. Rising energy prices, felt particularly strongly in the UK, also hurt demand from downstream markets as people tightened their purse strings, making them less inclined to begin renovation projects. To tackle inflation, central banks across Europe have raised interest rates, driving up borrowing costs. As a result, demand for new housing and commercial construction projects has plummeted, which has put a dent in sales of cement, concrete and building plaster products. This coincided with inflated building material costs, which further weighed on revenue growth by hiking the cost of construction projects, putting potential investors off. Although inflationary pressures are easing, the industry continues to grapple with economic uncertainty due to persistently high interest rates, despite recent cuts. Furthermore, ongoing supply chain disruptions, like the impact of US tariffs on trade, are set to dampen economic and construction activity in 2025, limiting revenue growth. Concrete, cement and plaster product manufacturing revenue is slated to swell at a compound annual rate of 3.8% over the five years through 2030 to €197.9 billion, while profit is also set to edge upwards. In the medium term, an improving economic environment is set to aid demand for construction products as inflationary pressures subside and interest rates continue to fall, reducing the cost of borrowing. Manufacturers will increasingly capitalise on growing demand for sustainable construction products, supporting revenue growth, as these products typically demand a higher price. Additionally, product innovations are expected to continue accelerating as construction clients seek more efficient and precise techniques, such as 3D concrete building. This demand is likely to stimulate heightened industry innovation and competition.

Revenue is forecast to inch up at a compound annual rate of 0.9% over the five years through 2024-25 to £4.4 billion. Ready-mixed concrete (RMC) is the principal material input for infrastructure, building foundations and panels cast on-site. Commercial, residential and civil infrastructure construction activity levels that reflect the state of the UK economy directly determine industry performance. The industry offers a variety of products to cater to the diverse needs of downstream clients, from standard RMC to high-performance and rapid-setting ranges. The COVID-19 outbreak significantly depressed demand from the UK construction market. Temporary site closures, frozen projects and tumbling developer confidence took a toll on demand for most types of concrete. Although site restrictions were short-lived, UK construction output has remained somewhat weak since, slowing the industry's rate of recovery. The steep rise in input costs, including energy, cement and aggregates, due to supply chain disruptions from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, has significantly reduced profitability. Nevertheless, strong UK government investments in infrastructure and engineering projects have supported industry performance. With inflation slowing, the Bank of England's interest rate cut in August 2024 renewed investor confidence, thereby stimulating construction output and enhancing income opportunities for concrete manufacturers. Revenue is forecast to expand by 2.9% in 2024-25. Industry revenue is forecast to climb at a compound annual rate of 3% over the five years through 2029-30 to £5.1 billion. Lower inflation and interest rates in the medium to long term will incentivise many construction companies to start projects, boosting revenue growth. Strong UK government funding commitments for roads, railways and 5G networks will also drive growth in demand for concrete products. Concrete manufacturers will also ramp up their investments in low-carbon solutions to increasingly offer environmentally friendly products to businesses and consumers.

Government spending on projects like the Help to Buy scheme and the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline has fostered growth in residential and infrastructure markets, maintaining demand for concrete products. Industry-wide revenue is projected to climb at a compound annual rate of 1% over the five years through 2024-25 to £4.3 billion, including an anticipated 2.8% drop in 2024-25. The resurgence in the downstream construction sector in 2021-22 lifted demand for concrete products. However, rebounds in revenue caused spiking costs as supply chains slowly reacted to hefty hikes in demand, squeezing the average profit margin during the year. Costs once again climbed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While manufacturers protected profitability by increasing prices, inflationary pressures throughout the supply chain led to cutbacks among downstream construction project financers. In 2023-24, a drop in construction material prices, owing to weak demand in response to the slowing construction sector and the rising base rate, alleviated cost pressures. However, this came at the expense of revenue, with project delays clobbering demand for concrete products. In 2024-25, construction activity is anticipated to not make a recovery, with BICS forecasting a drop in output of 4.7%, as higher rates and subdued business confidence continue to plague the industry. The precarious economic environment has prompted manufacturers to seek value-added green products that offer healthier markup, pouring money into R&D and using sustainable materials in the production process to appeal to environmentally conscious customers. Revenue is expected to swell at a compound annual rate of 3.8% over the five years through 2029-30, reaching £5.1 billion. Higher borrowing costs will continue to weigh on downstream construction activity in the short term, hurting sales of construction products. However, infrastructure construction will contribute to solid revenue growth in the coming years, with the government's National Infrastructure and Construction Plan coming to fruition and presenting manufacturers with lucrative supply chain contract opportunities. Demand for office space is also seeing a resurgence as companies encourage their workers to return to the workplace in a post-pandemic environment, with many companies upgrading their workplaces, boosting demand for concrete construction products.

Forecast: Concrete, Cement and Plaster Articles Labour Cost Per Employee FTE in the UK 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

The price of Cement Pipe in the United Kingdom, CIF, was $1,383 per ton in March 2023, showing a decrease of -6% compared to the previous month.

Revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 2.7% over the five years through 2025 to £47.9 billion, including estimated growth of 1.1% in 2025. The industry's revenue prospects are closely linked to economic cycles that influence construction activity in residential, commercial and infrastructure markets, which are crucial for manufacturers' income opportunities. In recent years, cement, lime and plaster manufacturers have faced several economic challenges, including high inflation, supply chain disruptions and aggressive interest rate hikes by central banks across Europe. These factors have substantially affected construction activity, dampening manufacturers' order books. Since COVID-19 hit, inflationary pressures have picked away at cement, lime and plaster manufacturers’ profitability. Rising prices were brought about by surges in demand amid the gradual reopening of the economy, coinciding with disruptions to supply chains. In 2022, inflation worsened, triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine towards the start of the year, which compounded supply chain disruptions. Although proving less volatile than other building materials in 2022, cement prices picked up in 2023 despite falling energy costs, as cement is slower to react to market conditions than other building materials. The inflationary environment also resulted in central banks ramping up interest rates, raising the cost of borrowing and weighing on construction activity. Although inflationary pressures are beginning to ease, the industry still faces economic uncertainty as interest rates remain elevated despite recent reductions. Ongoing supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by US tariffs on trade, are anticipated to raise costs and hinder cement and plaster sales. Cement, lime and plaster manufacturing revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.1% over the five years through 2030 to €61.3 billion. Construction activity is set to pick up as inflationary pressures subside, letting central banks lower interest rates, which will boost investor sentiment. Manufacturers will also be able to capitalise on the growing demand for sustainability, allowing them to exploit value-added opportunities. However, the R&D they’ll need to put into green products and processes will dent profitability in the short term, though will drive revenue growth over the long term.

Concrete, cement and plaster product manufacturing revenue is anticipated to climb at a compound annual rate of 2.1% over the five years through 2025 to €163.9 billion, including an estimated increase of 1.4% in 2025. Construction product sales are hugely influenced by activity in the residential and non-residential construction markets, which depend on factors like exchange rates, supply chain disruptions and trading frictions. Concrete, cement and plaster product manufacturers have contended with numerous economic headwinds in recent years, like rampant inflation decimating demand and fierce supply chain disruptions ratcheting up purchase costs and weighing on profitability. After navigating their way through the COVID-19 outbreak, manufacturers were hit by supply chain disruptions and worker shortages, ramping up production costs. These disruptions were exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, which caused energy prices to skyrocket. This hit manufacturers of products like brick and cement especially hard, given their energy-intensive production process. Rising energy prices, felt particularly strongly in the UK, also hurt demand from downstream markets as people tightened their purse strings, making them less inclined to begin renovation projects. To tackle inflation, central banks across Europe have raised interest rates, driving up borrowing costs. As a result, demand for new housing and commercial construction projects has plummeted, which has put a dent in sales of cement, concrete and building plaster products. This coincided with inflated building material costs, which further weighed on revenue growth by hiking the cost of construction projects, putting potential investors off. Although inflationary pressures are easing, the industry continues to grapple with economic uncertainty due to persistently high interest rates, despite recent cuts. Furthermore, ongoing supply chain disruptions, like the impact of US tariffs on trade, are set to dampen economic and construction activity in 2025, limiting revenue growth. Concrete, cement and plaster product manufacturing revenue is slated to swell at a compound annual rate of 3.8% over the five years through 2030 to €197.9 billion, while profit is also set to edge upwards. In the medium term, an improving economic environment is set to aid demand for construction products as inflationary pressures subside and interest rates continue to fall, reducing the cost of borrowing. Manufacturers will increasingly capitalise on growing demand for sustainable construction products, supporting revenue growth, as these products typically demand a higher price. Additionally, product innovations are expected to continue accelerating as construction clients seek more efficient and precise techniques, such as 3D concrete building. This demand is likely to stimulate heightened industry innovation and competition.

This dataset contains the indices of UK hourly Construction Wage Costs (quarterly; not seasonally adjusted; 2000 = 100) and UK Construction Material Prices for New Housing, Other New Work, Repair and Maintenance, and All Work (monthly; 2010 = 100).

Construction Material Prices

The construction market intelligence (CMI) unit publication, ‘Monthly statistics of building materials and components’, presents the latest detailed information on selected building materials and contains monthly data on price indices, bricks, cement and concrete blocks. It also contains quarterly data on sand and gravel, slate, concrete roofing tiles, ready-mixed concrete and imports and exports of construction products.

Data are derived from a Department for Business, Innovation & Skills monthly Building Materials and Components statistical release.

Construction Wage Costs

The Index of Labour Costs per Hour (ILCH) is a measure of the cost of having an employee for an hour of work. It represents the total cost of employing an individual, which is primarily the earnings of the employee, but also includes non-wage costs. It is also known as the Labour Cost Index (LCI); the index is produced by all member countries of the EU and collated by Eurostat.

Data are derived from ONS data releases found here.

The Cement Manufacturing industry produces various types of cement, which are supplied to construction markets. Demand is influenced by residential, commercial and infrastructure construction market activity, which typically runs pro-cyclical to the wider economy. A few major global construction material manufacturers dominate the market. Revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.9% over the five years through 2024-25 to £1.2 billion, including estimated growth of 4% in 2024-25. Following a solid recovery from its pandemic-driven dip in 2021-22, revenue continued on an upwards trajectory the year after, supported by hefty price hikes from manufacturers as they sought to maintain profit amid spiralling inflation. Revenue growth slowed in 2023-24, hit by weak construction activity – the result of rising interest rates and subdued economic growth. However, continued price hikes from manufacturers stemmed the drop in revenue. Although not to the same extent as 2023-24, construction is set for a modest decline in 2024-25 as high interest rates result in project delays and subdued consumer finances eat into demand for cement. The product mix is set for a shake-up as customers seek more environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional Portland cement. This is prompting manufacturers to pour money into developing green products like blended cement, which mixes Portland cement with supplementary materials like fly ash and silica fume. Revenue is forecast to swell at a compound annual rate of 4.2% over the five years through 2029-30 to £1.5 billion. Construction activity is set to return to growth in 2025-26, supported by stronger UK economic growth, real wage increases and lower mortgage rates, ramping up the need for cement. Key public projects (like Network North and Hinkley Point C) and the £775 billion pledged in the infrastructure pipeline over the 10 years through 2034 will provide a consistent source of demand for cement through healthy levels of infrastructure activity. Reaching net-zero emissions is a pressing issue that cement makers will need to take steps towards, such as through carbon capture factories like the Cement 2 Zero plant and sustainable products.

After three years of growth, purchases abroad of cement clinker decreased by -28.8% to 375K tons in 2023.

For the fourth year in a row, the UK recorded growth in overseas purchases of prefabricated structural components of cement, concrete or artificial stone, which increased by 4.9% to 385K tons in 2023.

The UK articles of fiber cement market expanded slightly to $237M in 2024, growing by 4.7% against the previous year. The market value increased at an average annual rate of +4.4% over the period from 2012 to 2024; however, the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years. Over the period under review, the market attained the peak level in 2024 and is likely to see steady growth in the immediate term.

United Kingdom PPI: Inp: GS: Cement, Lime & Plaster data was reported at 158.900 2015=100 in Jan 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 159.500 2015=100 for Dec 2024. United Kingdom PPI: Inp: GS: Cement, Lime & Plaster data is updated monthly, averaging 90.200 2015=100 from Jan 1996 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 349 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 161.900 2015=100 in Feb 2024 and a record low of 59.100 2015=100 in Jul 1998. United Kingdom PPI: Inp: GS: Cement, Lime & Plaster data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.I018: Producer Price Index: SIC 2007: 2015=100: Input.

Building materials made of steel, copper and other metals had some of the highest price growth rates in the U.S. in the first half of 2025 in comparison to the previous year. The growth rate of the cost of several construction materials was slightly lower than in late 2024. It is important to note, though, that the figures provided are Producer Price Indices, which cover production within the United States, but do not include imports or tariffs. This might matter for lumber, as Canada's wood production is normally large enough that the U.S. can import it from its neighboring country. Construction material prices in the United Kingdom Similarly to these trends in the U.S., at that time the price growth rate of construction materials in the UK were generally lower 2024 than in 2023. Nevertheless, the cost of some construction materials in the UK still rose that year, with several of those items reaching price growth rates of over **** percent. Considering that those materials make up a very big share of the costs incurred for a construction project, those developments may also have affected the average construction output price in the UK. Construction material shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic During the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, there often were supply problems and material shortages, which created instability in the construction market. According to a survey among construction contractors, the construction materials most affected by shortages in the U.S. during most of 2021 were steel and lumber. This was also a problem on the other side of the Atlantic: The share of building construction companies experiencing shortages in Germany soared between March and June 2021, staying at high levels for over a year. Meanwhile, the shortage of material or equipment was one of the main factors limiting the building activity in France in June 2022.