Namibia: Ohorongo Cement has inaugurated upgrades to its cement plant in Otavi including a composite cement unit and a third packaging line. The US$10.6m expansion is expected to increase the plant’s production capacity to 1Mt/yr. Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Kornelia Shilunga presided at the event.

The composite cement unit will enable the plant to produce various types of cement. The new packaging line will increase the plant’s packaging rate to 6800bags/hr from 4400bags/hr. Ohorongo Cement has also installed a 2t big bag filling station for special projects, aimed at optimising logistics.

The Namibian Standards Institute also certified Ohorongo Cement’s products at the inauguration for fulfilling the requirements of the Namibian Standard NAMS/EN 197-1:2014. The scope of certification covers five types of cement manufactured by Ohorongo Cement: CEM II A-LL 42.5N, CEM II B-LL 32.5N, CEM II B-V 42.5N, CEM I 42.5R, and CEM I 52.5N. The new certification should allow Ohorongo Cement to enter markets in Zambia and Botswana without additional certification and inspections.