Santo Domingo.– The construction industry is falling in the Dominican Republic, according to the president of the
Dominican Association of Cement Producers (Adocem), who revealed that the sector registered a 2.3% drop in the first four months of the year, which has directly impacted local cement sales, which decreased by 6.2% compared to the same period of 2024.
The data was provided by Jorge David Pérez, general director of Argos Dominicana, who warned that this negative trend has been dragging on since last year and is well below the historical average growth of the sector. “We are facing a slowdown that requires the joint attention of all economic actors,” he pointed out.
Pérez took the opportunity to reiterate the cement sector’s commitment to sustainability, highlighting the capacity of cement kilns to process waste as an energy source, a circular economy model that —as he explained— could help reduce dependence on open landfills and their environmental impacts.
However, the executive expressed concern about a modification project to the General Law on Waste Management, which proposes to impose mandatory energy valorization quotas on cement companies. “Without a structured and competitive market, these measures generate distrust for new investments and could create unsustainable monopolies,” he warned.
Finally, Pérez called on the government and society to work from collaboration and technical exchange. “No isolated effort will be sufficient. We need to move forward together towards a sustainable future with clear and realistic rules for all”, he concluded.
The new Board of Directors of Adocem was also sworn in, headed by Enrique García (Cementos Progreso) as vice president; Félix González (Cemento Santo Domingo), secretary; Adriano Brunetti (Domicem), treasurer; Cruz Amalia Rodríguez (Cemento Cibao), vocal; and Giuseppe Maniscalco (Cemento Panam), as past president.
