Kenyan cement manufacturers are exploring alternative market opportunities to guarantee their survival in a globalised and increasingly competitive market.
Savannah Cement MD,Ronald Ndegwa, said local cement manufacturers will need to provide a diversified range of value-added products.
This includes raising the volume of readymix concrete deliveries for small to large construction projects to complement the existing bagged cement sales.
Speaking at the ongoing Totally Concrete East Africa Conference and Expo, Ndegwa said that at Savannah Cement efforts are already underway to encourage a consumer shift to bulk cement deliveries and adoption of premix concrete supplied onsite beyond the current 50-kg cement bag purchases.
Savannah Cement is already formulating a Hydraulic Road Binder (HRB) for use in road construction and related works.
Long-term, the firm he said would also explore the possibility of setting up a value-added products factory for precast cement products including building slabs, concrete bridges, wall panels and related structures.
“At Savannah Cement, we have noted a growth in the domestic segment. The slowdown by real estate developers, we understand is due to ongoing facility re-negotiations arising from the recent interest rate adjustments and we expect to enjoy growth from this month as such financing deals are regularised,” Ndegwa said.
In Kenya, Savannah Cement is the most modern cement manufacturing and sales company, currently running an eco-friendly and energy-efficient plant near Kitengela town.
Strategically, Savannah Cement aspires to be the cement manufacturer company of choice in the region and is actively engaged in Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
