The cement industry in the United States forms an important part of its economy. USA ranks among the top three manufacturers of cement in the world along with China and India. The cement industry in United States is seasonal in nature as the maximum consumption takes place between May and October. Since cement consumption is dependent on the time of year and prevalent weather conditions, nearly two-thirds of US cement consumption occurs in the six months between May and October. The seasonal nature of the industry can result in large swings in cement and clinker (unfinished raw material) inventories at cement plants over the course of a year. Cement producers will typically build up inventories during the winter and ship them during the summer.
The domestic cement industry is regional in nature and the cost of shipping cement prohibits profitable distribution over long distances. As a result, customers traditionally purchase cement from local sources. Nearly 98 per cent of US cement is shipped to its customers by truck.