diff --git a/blaze-colonnade.cabal b/blaze-colonnade.cabal
--- a/blaze-colonnade.cabal
+++ b/blaze-colonnade.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                blaze-colonnade
-version:             1.2.1
+version:             1.2.2
 synopsis:            Helper functions for using blaze-html with colonnade
 description:         Blaze HTML and colonnade
 homepage:            https://github.com/andrewthad/colonnade#readme
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
   exposed-modules:
     Text.Blaze.Colonnade
   build-depends:
-      base >= 4.7 && < 5
+      base >= 4.9 && < 5
     , colonnade >= 1.1 && < 1.3
     , blaze-markup >= 0.7 && < 0.9
     , blaze-html >= 0.8 && < 0.10
-    , text >= 1.0 && < 1.3
+    , text >= 1.2 && < 1.3
   default-language:    Haskell2010
 
 test-suite test
diff --git a/src/Text/Blaze/Colonnade.hs b/src/Text/Blaze/Colonnade.hs
--- a/src/Text/Blaze/Colonnade.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Blaze/Colonnade.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE BangPatterns #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE RankNTypes #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE BangPatterns #-}
 
 -- | Build HTML tables using @blaze-html@ and @colonnade@. The bottom
 --   of this page has a tutorial that walks through a full example,
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@
 import Colonnade (Colonnade,Headed,Headless,Fascia,Cornice)
 import Data.Text (Text)
 import Control.Monad
-import Data.Monoid
+import Data.Semigroup
+import Data.Monoid hiding ((<>))
 import Data.Foldable
 import Data.String (IsString(..))
 import Data.Maybe (listToMaybe)
@@ -267,9 +268,12 @@
 instance IsString Cell where
   fromString = stringCell
 
+instance Semigroup Cell where
+  (Cell a1 c1) <> (Cell a2 c2) = Cell (a1 <> a2) (c1 <> c2)
+
 instance Monoid Cell where
   mempty = Cell mempty mempty
-  mappend (Cell a1 c1) (Cell a2 c2) = Cell (mappend a1 a2) (mappend c1 c2)
+  mappend = (<>)
 
 -- | Create a 'Cell' from a 'Widget'
 htmlCell :: Html -> Cell