Laos: Siam Cement Group plan to build a US$370m cement plant in Laos. The 1.8Mt/yr plant is expected to start production in the second quarter of 2017.
"This plant is meant to serve the greater Mekong region," said President and CEO of Siam Cement, Kan Trakulhoo. Siam Cement intends to continue investing within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which is set to introduce a common market at the end of 2015.
Siam Cement's revenue for the first quarter of 2014 increased by 11% year-on-year to US$3.74bn. Kan added that political tension in Thailand has affected demand for cement in that country. Subsequently, the company is shifting its emphasis to exports.