Cement imports from Belarus and Ukraine threaten Polish industry growth

Forecasts of 5% growth in the cement industry will probably fall short due to imports from Belarus and Ukraine. Cement companies recorded a 10% drop in sales in September compared to last year. "Imports from Ukraine and Belarus threaten Polish companies in two ways. First they have a negative impact on the economic situation of Polish producers, and secondly threaten the safety of construction projects. This cement does not meet quality requirements and has no certificates of approval," said Lafarge Cement Polska president Andrzej Tekiel. "If specialized state offices do not force importers to respect the law, then we will be flooded with cheap cement from the East. When 500,000 tons come from that direction, then we will face real trouble and will have to close one of our plants," warned Polski Cement president Jan Deja. Imports from Poland's Eastern neighbors will amount to as much as 70,000 tons by the end of the year. (Puls Biznesu, p.10)