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This table presents detailed data on clinker production and fuel consumption within the U.S. cement industry, categorized by kiln process type. It highlights the number of active plants, the quantity of clinker produced in thousand metric tons, and the types and amounts of fuels consumed, including both conventional fuels such as coal, petcoke, oil, and natural gas, and waste fuels like tires and solid or liquid wastes. This information is crucial for understanding the energy efficiency, environmental impact, and operational trends of the cement manufacturing sector, which is a significant contributor to the construction industry and overall economic infrastructure.
Analysis of the data reveals that dry kiln processes dominate U.S. clinker production, accounting for 98.2% of total output in 2023 with 75,380 thousand metric tons produced by 84 plants. This represents a slight decrease from 77,998 thousand metric tons in 2022. Fuel consumption patterns show a notable increase in natural gas use, rising from 2,070,000 cubic meters in 2022 to 2,560,000 cubic meters in 2023, suggesting a shift toward cleaner or more efficient fuel sources. Conversely, coal and petcoke consumption decreased, with coal dropping from 4,730 to 4,180 thousand metric tons and petcoke from 1,860 to 1,530 thousand metric tons. Waste fuel usage also increased, particularly tires and liquid wastes, which rose from 398 to 516 metric tons and from 774,000 to 767,000 liters respectively, indicating a growing trend in incorporating alternative fuels. Overall, total clinker production slightly declined by about 2.2% from 79,489 to 76,789 thousand metric tons, while the number of operating plants decreased by one, reflecting modest industry consolidation or efficiency improvements.
| TABLE 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| CLINKER PRODUCED AND FUEL CONSUMED BY THE U.S. CEMENT INDUSTRY, BY KILN PROCESS1, 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Production | Conventional fuels3 | Waste fuels3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Quantity | Coal5 | Petcoke | Oil6 | Natural gas7 | Tires | Solid | Liquid | |||||||||||||
| Number | (thousand | Percentage | (thousand | (thousand | (thousand | (thousand | (thousand | (thousand | (thousand | |||||||||||
| Kiln process | of plants4 | metric tons) | of total | metric tons) | metric tons) | liters) | cubic meters) | metric tons) | metric tons) | liters) | ||||||||||
| 2022: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Wet | 7 | 1492 | 1.9 | 152 | 26 | 1710 | 66700 | -- | 8 | 200000 | ||||||||||
| Dry8 | 85 | 77998 | 98.1 | 4580 | 1830 | 32200 | 2070000 | 398 | 1100 | 575000 | ||||||||||
| Both9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| Total10 | 92 | 79489 | 100 | 4730 | 1860 | 33900 | 2140000 | 398 | 1120 | 774000 | ||||||||||
| 2023: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Wet | 7 | 1409 | 1.8 | 127 | 8 | 1730 | 75100 | 15 | 14 | 178000 | ||||||||||
| Dry8 | 84 | 75380 | 98.2 | 4050 | 1520 | 23500 | 2490000 | 501 | 1240 | 589000 | ||||||||||
| Both9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| Total10 | 91 | 76789 | 100 | 4180 | 1530 | 25200 | 2560000 | 516 | 1260 | 767000 | ||||||||||
-- Zero.
1Table includes data available through March 18, 2025. Even where presented unrounded, data are thought to be accurate to no more than three significant digits.
2Excludes Puerto Rico.
3All fuel data have been rounded to no more than three significant digits.
4Excludes idle plants that, although retained as active in terms of clinker capacity, had no production during 2022–23.
5All reported to be bituminous.
6Distillate and residual fuel oils. Excludes any used oils that were reported under liquid wastes.
7Includes landfill gas and propane.
8Includes one semiwet plant and one semidry plant.
9Plants that can operate wet and dry kilns, whether or not both types were active during the year. Includes plants that converted from wet to dry technology during the year.
10May not add to totals shown because of independent rounding.
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Cement statistics | Mineral commodity prices