Tanzania expects to double its cement production in the next few years as new factories come on-stream to satisfy growing demand from the construction sector, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Cement consumption is viewed as a barometer for construction activity, which is one of the main drivers of economic growth in the country.
Annual cement production in east Africa’s second-largest economy will rise to six-million tonnes in a few years’ time as seven new factories start operations, deputy trade minister Janet Mbene told parliament, without being more specific about the timeframe.
Tanzania’s cement output rose 18.9% last year to slightly above three-million tonnes on the back of higher demand. Mbene said the rise in output would mean Tanzania would produce a surplus to be exported.
Cement makers operating in the country include Tanzania Portland Cement, which is 69.3% owned by a subsidiary of Germany’s Heidelberg Cement AG; Tanga Cement, 62.5% owned by Afrisam Mauritius Investment Holdings Limited; and Mbeya Cement, 62.76% owned by France’s Lafarge SA .
The new cement factories under construction include a 3-million tonne capacity plant being built by Nigeria’s Dangote Cement, Mbene said.
Reuters
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/tanzania-to-double-cement-output-in-coming-years-official-2014-11-25/rep_id:3182
