Kazakhstan: Construction has begun on a US$177m integrated cement plant in the Baikaninsky District of Aktobe, Kazakhstan, according to SeeTao news. The plant will have a capacity of 3500t/day (1.2Mt/yr) of cement and is the result of a joint venture between China-based Sinoma and Primus Capital of Kazakhstan, called Qazcem Industries. Sinoma’s parent company China National Building Materials said that the project is being undertaken by its subsidiary Beijing Triumph International Engineering, and that the lifting of the first column for the kiln tail tower had been completed.
Ashat Shaharov, the administrative chief of Aktobe region, said at the groundbreaking ceremony that the plant was a ‘concrete result’ of an agreement reached during the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan to China. He said that after the plant begins operation, it will create 250-300 jobs, and that 187 had already been created during the construction phase.
Sapalbek Tuyakbayev, founder of Primus Capital Holding, said "The construction project of cement plants in the Aktobe region is a successful result of attracting foreign direct investment and introducing advanced international technology. For Primus Capital, this is not the first project involving foreign partners and international capital. We are collaborating with Sinoma Cement to build a high-tech production facility that meets the best international energy efficiency and environmental safety standards."