MPA highlights the need for UK cement

Mineral Products Association calls on government to back UK cement or risk falling short of building targets

THE Mineral Products Association (MPA) last night hosted an event in Parliament that brought together leading UK cement producers, MPs, ministers, and government officials in support of the UK cement industry and highlighted the opportunity it presents. Minister for Industry Chris McDonald MP spoke in support of the sector, as well as Jon Pearce, MP for High Peak.

The message was clear: we need UK cement.

The Government’s ambitions to deliver 1.5 million new homes and invest in schools, hospitals, transport links and green energy infrastructure simply cannot be realised without it. Cement is a foundation industry, supporting economic growth, providing materials security, and underpinning the UK’s transition to net zero.

But the industry is facing serious threats, including uneven carbon regulation, sky-high energy prices, and a surge in imports. Importing cement risks exporting jobs, investment, and emissions overseas, while leaving the UK exposed to supply chain disruption and geopolitical shocks.

Using public procurement policy to support domestically produced cement could unlock huge opportunities. It would ensure that Labour’s investment in housing and infrastructure delivers wider economic growth and allows Britain to retain control over the decarbonization of materials it uses.

It would also protect highly skilled, well-paid jobs across all four nations. Cement is part of the wider mineral products sector, which supports over 80,000 jobs, mostly in rural communities and industrial heartlands, and is one of the UK’s most productive sectors, with each worker generating two-and-a-half times the national average in value.

At the event, the MPA called on government to establish a robust Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), with clear guidance on how the UK rate will be calculated to ensure importers face the same carbon costs as domestic producers. The MPA also urged action to address wider competitiveness challenges such as high electricity prices and rising labour costs, which are placing UK cement producers at a growing disadvantage.

The importance of accelerating support for carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) technologies was also underlined. Having already reduced carbon emissions by 63% since 1990, UK cement is a net-zero success story in progress – and with the right policy support, it can go even further.

Dr Diana Casey, executive director for cement and lime at the Mineral Products Association, said: ‘The Government has called for a national effort to build, but questions remain over whether we have the materials security to deliver it.

‘Without a level playing field, we risk undermining one of the UK’s most strategically important manufacturing sectors and leaving Labour’s housing and infrastructure targets hanging in the balance.

‘With the right policy framework, including a fair and robust CBAM, competitive energy pricing, and targeted support for CCUS, we can secure the UK cement sector for the long term. That means protecting high-value jobs, strengthening regional economies, and ensuring that every tonne of cement used to build Britain’s future also supports Britain’s industry and climate ambitions.’