In 2012, the building materials industry faced significant challenges such as slowing demand growth, rising overcapacity, and stricter environmental regulations. In response, the sector intensified efforts in energy conservation, emission reduction, technological innovation, and management improvements. Despite these challenges, the overall economic performance of the industry remained stable, with structural adjustments accelerating.
**I. Industry Operations**
1. **Fluctuating Output and Declining Growth in Industrial Value Added**
The industry's added value increased by 11.5% year-on-year, but this marked a sharp drop of 8 percentage points compared to previous years, contributing 6.6% to the national industrial output. While cement production rose by 7.4% to reach 2.18 billion tons, flat glass declined by 3.2%, and sanitary ceramics fell by 13.1%. On the other hand, ceramic bricks and natural granite stone saw strong growth, up 9.4% and 27.2% respectively.
2. **Stable Industry Efficiency and Structural Optimization**
At the end of 2012, there were 34,000 enterprises above a designated size, generating total revenue of 5.3 trillion yuan, an increase of 13.4% from the previous year. Although profits for cement and flat glass declined significantly, sectors like lightweight building materials, refractory products, and glass fiber-reinforced plastics saw substantial gains, helping the entire industry achieve a record profit of 375 billion yuan, up 3.5%.
3. **Falling Prices and Rising Inventory Pressure**
The ex-factory price of bulk products dropped by 2.2% year-on-year, with general cement prices falling by about 4% annually. The eastern region experienced a sharper decline than central and western regions. Cement and flat glass sales rates also declined, with inventory levels rising sharply across the sector, especially in brick, tile, and glass manufacturing.
4. **Slower Fixed Asset Investment Growth, But New Materials and Western Regions Show Strong Performance**
Total fixed asset investment reached approximately 1.1 trillion yuan, growing by 17.5%—a slower pace than the national average. However, new materials industries, including technical glass and insulation materials, saw impressive growth rates of 31.7%, 45.7%, and 53.7% respectively. The central and western regions outperformed the east in investment, with the central region surpassing the east in completed investment.
5. **Progress in Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction**
Efforts to phase out outdated cement and glass production capacity continued, with over 40 cement lines adopting new nitrogen oxide reduction technologies. Urban waste was also being processed through collaborative projects. The proportion of high-grade cement (42.5 and above) increased to 27.1%, showing progress in quality improvement.
6. **Improved Export Quality and Structural Shifts**
Export value rose by 7.9% to 225 billion yuan, with higher offshore prices for key exports like sanitary ceramics and technical glass. Meanwhile, imports of deep-processed materials declined, while marble and granite imports increased. The cement technology equipment export industry reached over 35 billion yuan, maintaining its global leadership.
**II. Key Challenges in Industry Operations**
1. **Persistent Overcapacity Issues**
Despite efforts to eliminate outdated capacity, cement and flat glass capacities remained high, with utilization rates dropping to 72.7% and 68.3% respectively.
2. **Need for Advanced Technologies and Industrialization**
As smog becomes more frequent, the need for advanced energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies is urgent. Inorganic non-metallic new materials still face challenges in meeting local demand.
3. **Slow Development of Green Building Materials**
Although green building materials are essential for sustainable development, their application remains limited due to lagging standards and certification systems.
4. **Cement Standards Require Revision**
The clinker coefficient dropped to 58.5%, highlighting the need for faster revisions to cement product standards to ensure quality and efficiency.
**III. Trends and Key Priorities for 2013**
With ongoing urbanization, industrialization, and digital transformation, the building materials industry is expected to maintain steady growth in 2013, with industrial added value projected to rise by 12%. Cement output growth may slow below 5%, while green building materials will continue to grow rapidly.
To address challenges like overcapacity, high carbon emissions, and the need for innovation, the industry will focus on several key areas: monitoring economic operations, promoting green building initiatives, revising industrial policies, establishing new statistical systems, advancing technological upgrades, and refining industry standards. These efforts aim to drive sustainable development, support circular economy goals, and ensure long-term competitiveness.
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