CMHA’s 2025 Hardscape Production Report Highlights Normalized Growth
The Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association (CMHA) has released its 2025 Hardscape Production Report, offering fresh insight into how the industry is adjusting after years of rapid expansion. The study, based on confidential survey responses from 48 manufacturers in the United States and Canada, covers segmental concrete pavement and segmental retaining wall (SRW) products. From the press release:
“Tapping into insights from this report can help hardscape producers as they prepare their strategy for the upcoming year,” says CMHA President Bob Thomas. “While the highlights from the report are helpful, the full report includes more detail about what our industry is experiencing.”
Production Levels Recalibrate After Record Years
The report shows production declines in 2023 and 2024 compared to record highs in 2021 and 2022. Pavement products fell roughly 9 percent and SRWs nearly 13 percent year-over-year. Still, output remains well above pre-2020 benchmarks, meaning much of the growth sparked earlier in the decade has stuck. Segmental concrete pavement production, for example, surged nearly 40 percent from 2020 to 2022 before dropping 17.7 percent from that peak. Even with the slowdown, 2024 levels sit nearly 15 percent higher than 2020. SRWs followed a similar path, falling 18.8 percent in two years but staying above many pre-pandemic levels.
Market Outlook Shows Cautious Optimism
Looking ahead, over half of surveyed companies expect production gains in 2025. Nearly two-thirds forecast growth for 2026. That optimism is fueled by infrastructure investment, evolving design trends, and demand for sustainable systems such as permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP). Challenges remain. Higher borrowing costs, tighter project budgets and workforce constraints continue to pressure contractors and producers. Still, the overall picture suggests normalization, not contraction, with production stabilizing at higher baselines.
Why Contractors Should Pay Attention
The Production Report pairs well with CMHA’s 2025 Contractor Industry Report, released in April. That survey highlighted workforce shortages, rising overhead costs and steady sales growth across residential and commercial projects. Together, these reports create a fuller picture of the hardscape supply chain — from manufacturing output to boots-on-the-ground labor challenges. For Compact Equipment readers, the takeaway is clear: demand for hardscapes remains strong, but efficiency, workforce strategy and financial discipline matter more than ever.
Where to Learn More
The executive summaries for both the Hardscape Production Report and Contractor Industry Report are available at masonryandhardscapes.org. Full versions are available for purchase, with discounts for CMHA members.
See It All at Hardscape North America
Compact Equipment will be on the ground at Hardscape North America (HNA) this October 22-24 in Louisville, running alongside Equip Expo. Maybe we’ll see you there.
Keith Gribbins is publisher of Compact Equipment.
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