The cement production business to the west of Loulé run by Cimpor is to suspend around 30 workers due to a fall in demand.
Cimpor guarantees the protection of the jobs and the employees will be taken back on when the market improves.
Much of Cimpor’s production goes via Faro docks to Angola but with its main customer cutting back on civil engineering projects, overall demand for cement has halved over the past five years.
Cimpor management justifies its decision on poor cement sales with the first quarter showing a further decline.
According to the company, cement consumption has "returned to the figures recorded in the early 1970s."
"In response to this situation, production will be suspended temporarily at the Loulé site but we will keep the cement grinding activities going as well as packing and shipping so there is no disruption in the supply to our markets," read a company statement issued today.
Cimpor will resume "full activity at the Loulé production centre as soon as market conditions warrant."
