Algeria: ASEC Cement has completed an upgrade at its Zahana plant, in western Algeria.
"Zahana Cement Company, our key Algerian subsidiary, has just concluded the largest overhaul in the plant's long history," said ASEC Cement CEO Giorgio Bodo. The upgrade is expected to bring a 20% year-on-year increase in production of both clinker and cement. In addition the deployment of new bag filters has decreased the plant's dust emissions. Following the upgrade Zahana's clinker capacity is 0.90Mt/yr.
ASEC Cement has now begun work on a US$30m project to construct a new raw mill at Zahana that will be fully operational by 2014, raising Zahana's clinker capacity to 1.2Mt/yr. In addition the plant has started work on a new kiln line, for completion by 2015, which will increase clinker capacity to 2.7Mt/yr and cement capacity to 3.0Mt/yr.
Zahana, located 40km from Wahran, had a cement capacity of just 0.65Mt/yr in 2008 when ASEC Cement took over management of the company. ASEC Cement has a 35% equity stake at Zahana in partnership with the Government of Algeria.