Turkey's Medcem fully booked for 2026 with higher cement, clinker prices

Turkey's largest cement exporter, Medcem, is now fully booked for next year after agreeing its 2026 cement and clinker contracts with their customers at prices and volumes higher than 2025 levels, Ender Sahin, Trading and Shipping Director at Medcem Global, told Platts.

Medcem agreed contracts for 5.5 million mt of cement and clinker for 2026, up from 4.8 million mt in 2025.

"We are now fully booked for 2026," Sahin said.

Contracts include 4 million mt of bulk cement at prices $53.50-$55/mt FOB Turkey, up from $52/mt agreed in 2025. For bagged cement, Medcem has agreed 1 million mt at $66-$68/mt with customers in the US market for big bags, Sahin added.

Medcem also agreed clinker contracts for a total of 1.5 million mt, including 500,000 mt low chromium clinker for Europe at $47/mt FOB and standard clinker for other markets, including West Africa at $45/mt FOB, Sahin said.

"Compared to 2025, our prices and volumes are higher for 2026, unlike other exporting countries who've had to maintain their prices [at 2025 levels] or give a discount," Sahin said. "This is a testament to the strong relationship we have with our buyers, who are happy to pay a premium for the service that we provide.

The company is also investing in increasing its grinding capacity and will be adding nearly 1 million mt by 2027 to 9 million mt from 7.5 million mt currently, Sahin said.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed CEMDEX Turkey at $53/mt FOB Nov. 27.