Asia has recovered far more quickly from the global downturn that began in 2008 than have the industrialized nations of Europe and the Americas. Complicating matters for the industrialized nations, and in particular the United States, is the nature of the bubble that burst to create the downturn. It was the housing market that was being bet on to inflate the bubble and when that crashed, the overbuilding which took place during the bubble growth period left the construction industry in serious trouble. But, that trouble is not seen everywhere in the world. As a basic building material, the demand for cement serves as an indicator of how the construction industry is faring nation by nation. Thailand has seen healthy growth in the demand for cement in 2010 despite the upheaval caused by flooding in that nation during the late summer.

Geographic reference: Thailand
Year: 2010
Market size: 24 million metric tons
Source: “News Asia: Siam Cement Group Profits Down Slightly,” Global Cement Magazine, November 2010, page 43.
Original source: Siam Cement Group