April 18, 2014 – There is a lot of rock set to be produced on the “Third Rock from the Sun.” Through 2017, worldwide sales of construction aggregates are forecast to expand more than five percent per year to 53 billion metric tons, according to the new market research report “World Construction Aggregates” from GIIResearch.com. Following recent severe declines from 2007 to 2012, aggregates demand is projected to rebound sharply in North America and Western Europe as construction activity picks up. Eastern Europe is also expected to register faster growth through 2017. However, the global market will continue to be driven by above-average growth in the large Asia/Pacific and Africa/Mideast regions. The nonbuilding market for construction aggregates is expected to outpace the building segment through 2017, as governments in both developed and industrializing countries invest heavily in public infrastructures.
The crushed stone segment is expected to account for one-half of all new product demand generated between 2012 and 2017. Crushed stone will continue to benefit from its numerous performance features, such as durability and strength. Crushed stone is also projected to gain a larger share of the aggregates market due to the depletion of sand and gravel reserves in many countries around the world, including China, India, Japan and Norway. However, crushed stone demand will be moderated by the increasing availability of manufactured sand, and alternative and recycled aggregates.