There has not been a cement cartel in North America for over 100 years.  Production occurs in 36 States from 107 firms. The five largest companies collectively account for half of U.S. production. Due to the weight of the product it is a regional business.  It takes a lot of energy to kiln cement, that energy has traditionally come from coal although that is changing. Increasing environmental regulation and switching to alternative fuels requires capital investment to remain competitive.