Rebuilding lifts industry
Post-quake reconstruction in Sichuan province, expected to top 1 trillion yuan in the next few years, is set to give a much-needed lift to the building materials industry, threatened by rising costs and dwindling investment.
Latest official estimates indicate that demand for cement and steel will amount to 370 million tons and 37 million tons, respectively, to rebuild infrastructure, housing and other public facilities. Huge demand is expected for other building materials such as piping, tiles and bricks. Literally trillions of standard bricks will be needed.
"A huge increase in demand for all kinds of building materials will benefit not only the producers in that region but also many others around the nation," Luo Guo, a building materials analyst at Orient Securities in Shanghai, said.
