Displaying items by tag: commissioning

Fiji: Fijian Holdings subsidiary Pacific Cement (PCL) has resumed cement production following the completion of commissioning works on its repaired mill, according to the Fiji Times. Fijian Holdings deputy chair Sakiusa Raivoce said supply of bulk and bagged cement had normalised.

Production had halted in March 2025 due to a mill breakdown. Raivoce said PCL is now fast-tracking an upgrade of the existing mill to reduce future risks and improve reliability. Persistent failures in recent years had resulted in a reliance on cement imports to satisfy local demand.

India: Ambuja Cements subsidiary ACC has commissioned a 1.5Mt/yr brownfield grinding unit at its Sindri plant in Jharkhand. The project takes the total installed cement production capacity across Ambuja and ACC to 104.45Mt/yr.

Iraq: Delta Cement Company and Suzhou Sinoma have celebrated the completion of a 6000t/day clinker production line. The two partners completed construction, commissioning and production over a period of 16 months. The plant’s cement grinding equipment was commissioned on 24 December 2024, and the clinker line was commissioned on 30 June 2025.

Jamaica: TCL Group subsidiary Caribbean Cement has commissioned its US$42m debottlenecking project at its Rockfort plant in East Kingston. The capacity of the expanded kiln was not disclosed.

During a ribbon cutting ceremony, Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness said “When we invest in our factories, we invest in our families. When we strengthen our production capacity, we strengthen our national development. This project does more than support housing. It supports jobs. The expanded kiln will enable higher throughput, greater efficiencies, and potentially more stable employment for hundreds of workers.’

He added “Instead of importing, we will be exporting. Instead of consuming value-added goods, we will be producing them. This is the shift from dependency to self-determination.”

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Aubyn Hill said “Everywhere you go, cement is being used, and Caribbean Cement is doing a great job! We want every bag of cement used in Jamaica to be made here because, for every bag that we import, we send jobs overseas. Our job in Jamaica is to keep jobs here.”

India: UltraTech Cement has commissioned its second cement grinding mill at the Maihar unit in Madhya Pradesh, adding 1.8Mt/yr to its domestic production capacity. The first mill at the site began operations in March 2025.

The expansion raises UltraTech’s total grey cement capacity in India to 186.86Mt/yr and 192.26Mt/yr globally. The company said the move forms ‘part of its larger strategy.’

Ghana: CBI Ghana and joint venture partner Heidelberg Materials have commissioned the ‘world’s largest’ calcined clay plant in Ghana, according to an announcement by the German producer. The plant has a capacity of 400,000t/yr of calcined clay and uses local raw materials to reduce reliance on imported clinker.

Hakan Gurdal, member of the managing board of Heidelberg Materials, said “Based on calcined clay technology, we can now extend our offering of innovative, high-quality cement products, while reducing CO₂ emissions and utilising the rich local resources. The project has created over 300 local jobs."

Philippines: Concreat Holdings Philippines, a majority-owned subsidiary of DMCI Holdings, announced the full operations of the new production line at its Solid Cement plant in Antipolo City. The upgrade raises the plant’s capacity from 1.9Mt/yr to 3.4Mt/yr.

Concreat Holdings Philippines CEO Herbert Consunji said “This expansion is a pivotal step in Concreat’s turnaround. With higher capacity, a more efficient kiln and the use of Semirara coal, we are rebuilding momentum and lowering production costs - laying the groundwork for long-term recovery.”

Algeria: Groupe des Ciments d'Algérie (GICA) has officially recommissioned the 1Mt/yr Timegtane cement plant in Adrar after a period of closure. Sifi Ghrieb, the Minister of Industry, visited the plant to mark the occasion, according to Le Jeune Independent newspaper. The unit partially re-started production in March 2024. A second 1.5Mt/yr production line at the plant is due to be commissioned soon.

The government transferred the ownership of the plant to GICA as part of a reported state drive against corruption. It was originally inaugurated in 2017 as a joint-venture between local company STG Engineering and the China Triumph International Engineering (CTIE). Construction of a second production line at the site was previously reported in 2018.

Philippines: Cemex Philippines has extended Aboitiz Construction’s contract to provide technical services for the commissioning of the upcoming Line 4 of its Antipolo City cement plant in Rizal. The Manila Times newspaper has reported that the new date on which the contract will conclude is in December 2024.

Aboitiz Construction chief operating officer Ramez Sidhom said "Our recent partnership with Cemex Philippines demonstrates our commitment to execution excellence and affirms our ability to provide reliable maintenance solutions while prioritising safety and quality of work.”

Ethiopia: The Lemi National Cement Factory is preparing to start production. The 8Mt/yr plant is expected to be completed in March 2024, according to the Xinhua News Agency. China-based Sinoma International Engineering is building the unit. The US$600m project is a joint venture between West International Holding, a subsidiary West China Cement, and the East African Holding Company. The plant is located at the Lemi Building Materials Industrial Park around 150km north of Addis Ababa.