Displaying items by tag: Expansion

Saudi Arabia: Arabian Cement Company said in its 2024 annual report that work is underway to increase the production capacity of its fifth production line by the fourth quarter of 2025. The company also said it is progressing on a project to connect its Rabigh plant to the Saudi Electricity Company grid under the liquid fuel displacement programme.

It forecast that cement demand will rise in 2025 due to government and Public Investment Fund-backed development projects in the Makkah region. The sector is reportedly operating at 63% capacity due to oversupply and weak demand, according to Zawya News, although an interest rate cut in September 2024 led to a revival of real estate projects.

India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat), a material subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat, has commenced commercial production at its cement grinding unit at Rohtas Cement Works in Rohtas district, Bihar, increasing capacity by 0.5Mt/yr to 1.6Mt/yr.

With this rise in cement capacity, the group’s total cement production capacity now stands at 49.5Mt/yr.

India: The Ramco Cements has increased the capacity of its Kalavatala plant in Andhra Pradesh from 2Mt/yr to 2.4Mt/yr by de-bottlenecking and optimising the cement mill. The producer's total cement grinding capacity now stands at 24.4Mt/yr.

India: UltraTech Cement has commissioned a 3.35Mt/yr brownfield clinker line and one of two 2.7Mt/yr cement mills at its Maihar unit in Madhya Pradesh. The second grinding mill will be commissioned in the first quarter of the 2026 financial year. The producer also commissioned brownfield expansions at its Dhule grinding unit in Maharashtra (1.2Mt/yr) and Durgapur grinding unit in West Bengal (0.6Mt/yr), and launched its first bulk terminal in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, with a handling capacity of 1.8Mt/yr.

“Consequent to the above, the company’s total domestic grey cement manufacturing capacity stands at 183.36Mt/yr. Along with its overseas capacity of 5.4Mt/yr, the company’s global capacity stands at 188.76Mt/yr,” UltraTech Cement said.

Gabon: The Gabonese government and Ciments d'Afrique (Cimaf Gabon) have signed an investment agreement for the construction of a third cement production line. The US$41.1m project will increase Cimaf Gabon's cement production capacity by 1Mt/yr to 1.85Mt/yr.

Cimaf Gabon also holds a permit to exploit a major limestone deposit around Ntoum and will build a clinker production unit in the area, requiring more than US$148m in investment.

Cimaf Gabon’s general director Janah Idrissi El Mehdi said “This plant, located a stone's throw from Ntoum in the Estuaire province, will bring significant benefits to the entire region, particularly in terms of job creation (1400 in the project phase and 500 in the operational phase). It will contribute to improving the living conditions of the surrounding populations.”

India: UltraTech Cement has increased its production capacity by 1.2Mt/yr through debottlenecking efforts. The producer said that it had identified multiple efficiency enhancement opportunities across various locations as part of its capacity expansion programmes. The additional capacity includes 0.8Mt/yr at the integrated Hirmi plant in Chhattisgarh and 0.4Mt/yr at the Roorkee grinding unit in Uttarakhand. Ultratech’s domestic cement capacity now reportedly stands at 179Mt/yr.

India: Dalmia Bharat has commenced commercial production at its expanded cement grinding facility in Lanka, Hojai district, Assam. The expansion by subsidiary Dalmia Cement (North East) has added 2.4Mt/yr to the company’s total production capacity, which has now reached 49Mt/yr. Capacity utilisation stands at 60% on a pro-rata basis. The expansion cost US$80.4m, funded through equity, debt and internal accruals. The additional output is expected to meet rising cement demand in the northeastern region.

UK: Cimpor is expanding into the UK following a change in ownership in 2024 and new capital investment. Cimpor registered Cimpor UK Limited in April 2024 with an office in Cheadle and has invested €20-25m in a terminal at the port of Bristol. It plans to expand its product range in the UK in the coming years.

Cimpor Global chief technology officer Berkan Fidan said “With the ports and terminals we own and operate, we leverage our export globally, strengthening our supply chain and continuing to explore new market opportunities.”

Philippines: Taiheiyo Cement Philippines has informed the government of its plans to improve its distribution system in Luzon, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

The company has doubled the capacity of its US$224m Cebu facility from 50,000 bags/day to 100,000 bags/day. Additionally, it is constructing a distribution terminal in Calaca, Batangas, to better serve Luzon, which accounts for 64% of national cement demand.

"Once operational, this new facility will streamline logistics, optimise supply chain efficiency and ensure timely delivery of cement to this critical region," the DTI said.

India: Dalmia Bharat, through its subsidiaries, has announced a US$400m investment to expand its cement capacity in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The company will build a 3.6Mt/yr clinker unit and a 3Mt/yr grinding unit at its Belgaum plant in Karnataka, alongside a new 3Mt/yr greenfield grinding plant in Pune, Maharashtra. The expansion will be funded through debt and internal accruals. It is expected to increase Dalmia Bharat's total installed capacity to 55.5Mt/yr, including an ongoing 2.9Mt expansion in Assam and Bihar. The new units are scheduled for commissioning by the fourth quarter of the 2027 financial year.

CEO Puneet Dalmia said "This investment is a significant step in our Phase II expansion strategy, bringing us closer to strengthening our position as a pan-India player and reaching our goal of 75Mt/yr capacity by the 2028 financial year. The increase in our production capacity is primarily to meet the growing infrastructure demand in western India."