Cement output jumps 45% as construction jobs rise
Cement production and sales in Puerto Rico continued to grow in November, reflecting sustained construction activity and rising employment in the sector, according to data released by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC, in Spanish).
Cement production totaled 731,000 94-pound bags during the month, a year-over-year increase of 45.4%, or about 228,000 additional bags compared with November 2024. Total cement sales, including bagged and bulk cement, reached nearly 1.2 million units, up 11.7% from a year earlier, an increase of roughly 124,000 units.
“These results reflect continued growth in construction activity in Puerto Rico,” the agency said, citing demand from both public- and private-sector projects.
Employment data also showed gains. Figures from the Department of Labor and Human Resources indicated a year-over-year increase of about 700 jobs in the mining, logging and construction sector in September 2025, bringing total employment in that category to 38,900 workers.
“The increase in cement production and sales, along with job growth in the construction sector, are clear signs that Puerto Rico continues to move forward with a strong and active economy,” Gov. Jenniffer González said. “Our administration will continue to promote strategic projects that foster investment, infrastructure and quality jobs for our people.”
DDEC Secretary Sebastián Negrón-Reichard said the latest indicators underscore the construction sector’s role in broader economic activity.
“We’re seeing how reconstruction projects, private investments and public infrastructure works are significantly boosting the economy,” he said.
The department also said its Office of Strategy and Business Intelligence will now be responsible for the preparation and official publication of cement production and sales data, a move the agency said reinforces DDEC’s “role as Puerto Rico’s primary center for economic analysis.”
