Cement Industry Reports Cumulative Loss of 82.1 Billion Won, "Doing Our Best for Cement Shipments"

Bulk cement trailer (BCT) vehicles that have stopped operating due to a transportation refusal by the Cargo Solidarity Headquarters of the Public Transport Union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. / Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The nationwide strike by the Cargo Solidarity of the Public Transport Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (hereinafter Cargo Solidarity) has caused the cement industry to record a cumulative loss of 82.1 billion KRW.

According to the Korea Cement Association on the 29th, due to the collective transportation refusal by Cargo Solidarity, only 21,000 tons out of approximately 200,000 tons scheduled for shipment that day were shipped. The disrupted volume was 179,000 tons, resulting in a sales loss of about 17.9 billion KRW, and the cumulative sales loss amounts to 82.1 billion KRW.

With the assistance of public authority (police), some cement shipments were made from the Donghae, Danyang, Jecheon plants and some distribution bases such as Daejeon, Gunsan, Cheongju, and Daegu; however, the cement industry explains that this volume is far too insufficient to recover the shipment disruptions.

A representative of the Cement Association stated, "Unlike the transportation refusal by Cargo Solidarity in June, the current collective transportation refusal has received much help from the government's active resolution will and related measures for the cement industry," adding, "The work commencement order is also a measure that reconfirms the government's determination, and the cement industry will do its best to ship cement to resolve the suspension of operations at the final demand-side ready-mixed concrete plants and construction sites."