In India, Italcementi subsidiary Zuari Cement has broken ground on a new port-based cement packing terminal in Kochi. With a reported investment of ~Rs.125 crore, the new plant will have a capacity of 1 million tpa and the first phase is expected to be operational by 3Q15. The terminal will have four silos in all. Zuari Cement is seeking to expand its presence in southern and western India, and the terminal will help enable this and give rise to further export potential. CEO Carlo Pesenti told press at the ground-breaking ceremony that the company is moving towards a ‘total cement solution’, offering different types of cement for different applications.
Meanwhile, Zuari Cement’s Managing Director Nabil Francis told Business Line that once India’s election process is over he hopes that the country will see an increase in infrastructure spending that will be good news for the cement industry. He noted a 3.5% increase in demand in the last financial year, but expects the demand for housing and infrastructure development will significantly increase cement sales in the future.
Edited from various sources by Katherine Guenioui
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/asia-pacific-rim/24042014/zuari_cement_breaks_ground_on_new_packing_terminal_69/
