White Cement
White Portland 42.5 / 52.5 by whiteness and Fe₂O₃
White cement is Portland cement made from raw materials with almost no iron and manganese, burned and ground so that the finished powder is white rather than grey, and it is priced at a multiple of grey OPC because every stage costs more: kaolin and pure limestone instead of ordinary marl, oil or gas firing to avoid ash contamination, water quenching to lock in the colour, and grinding on ceramic or high-chrome media so nothing grey rubs off into the product. The specification that carries the premium is whiteness, quoted as Hunter L or reflectance and expected at 85% or better, with the best Gulf and Egyptian product reaching 88–92. It is delivered chemically by Fe₂O₃ at 0.3% or below and Mn₂O₃ near zero, and it is backed by the same strength classes as grey cement, CEM I 42.5 R and 52.5 R under EN 197-1 or ASTM C150 Type I, with a finer Blaine of 3,800–4,500 cm²/g because architectural users want a smooth surface. Setting time, soundness, SO₃ and chloride limits are as for grey OPC. A supplier who quotes strength without a whiteness figure has not understood what you are buying.
Demand is architectural and decorative: terrazzo, precast facade panels, tile adhesives and grouts, skim coats and renders, cast stone and any concrete that is pigmented, because a coloured concrete built on grey cement is a muddy version of the colour. Consumption is measured in bags rather than shiploads, so the trade moves as 50 kg sacks pre-slung into 1.5–2 MT sling bags, as 1.5 MT jumbo bags for adhesive and grout manufacturers, and in bulk only into tile-adhesive plants with dedicated white silos. The production base is concentrated where the raw materials are: UN Comtrade 2025 export declarations under HS 2523 show Egypt at 10.19 million MT, Saudi Arabia at 8.05 million MT and Oman at 1.01 million MT across all cement and clinker, and the white-cement producers sit inside that base in Egypt, the UAE, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company that writes to cement exporters in those origins, and because it runs a chartering desk (LaycanDesk) a container or break-bulk freight number is quoted alongside the cargo. Send the whiteness floor your customers accept, strength class, bag format and monthly volume, and supply is worked to that.
Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices Egypt to West Africa cement and clinker freight on LaycanDesk.
Indicative reference
$130–190 USD / MT
as at September 2026
Reference level only — not an offer, and reviewed quarterly. Levels shown are as at September 2026. Firm pricing is quoted per RFQ, subject to volume, terms and inspection.
Typical Specification
Specifications are indicative and adjusted to the agreed contract and destination requirements. Final spec confirmed on COA / SGS.
Available Grades
Applications
- Architectural & facade precast
- Terrazzo & cast stone
- Tile adhesives & grouts
- Pigmented & decorative concrete
- Skim coats, renders & plasters
Category
Industrial Minerals & Construction
Incoterms
FOB · CFR · CIF
Pricing basis
USD / MT
Inspection
SGS / Intertek at load port
White Cement — buyer questions
Why does white cement cost two to three times grey OPC?
Raw materials and process. It needs kaolin and iron-free limestone instead of ordinary marl, clean gas or oil firing so no ash discolours the clinker, water quenching to fix the colour, and grinding media that do not shed grey. Each step adds cost and the kiln runs hotter for a lower-iron mix. You are paying for whiteness, and that is why whiteness is the first number on the COA.
What whiteness should I specify?
Hunter L of 85% is the floor for architectural precast and terrazzo; tile-adhesive and grout makers who tint their product often accept 85–87 because the pigment carries the colour. Facade work and pure-white cast stone want 88–92, the super-white band, and that costs more. Ask what your customer measures against and specify to that; do not pay for 92 to make a grey-tinted grout.
Can I get white cement in bulk?
Yes, but only into a dedicated white silo that has never held grey cement, because a few tonnes of grey residue will ruin a bulk delivery. Most buyers take sling-bagged 50 kg sacks or 1.5 MT jumbo bags, and container shipments are common for volumes under a few thousand tonnes a month. We quote the freight for whichever format fits, break-bulk or box.
Is white clinker available for a grinding unit?
It is, from the same origins, and grinding it locally can make sense above a few thousand tonnes a month if you have a mill that can be kept free of grey material. The same rule applies as for grey clinker: buy on C3S, free lime and, for white, Fe₂O₃ and whiteness of the clinker itself, and confirm your mill's grinding media will not discolour the product before you commit to a parcel.
Ready to source White Cement?
Send your quantity, specification, preferred Incoterms and destination port. We'll verify supply and respond with a workable offer — usually within one business day.
Have White Cement to sell? Submit an offer — we'll match it against live buyer demand.