Message Mer 30 Mar 2016 12:45

New cement plant planned for Ndola

Posted on 30 March 2016.

CONSTRUCTION of a new cement plant in Ndola by ZCCM-IH will start in April, says chief executive office Pius Kasolo.

Dr Kasolo said the two-year pr0ject would be established at Ndola Lime Company and once completed would produce 5,000 tonnes of cement a day.

In an interview Dr Kasolo said financing for the new cement company had already been secured.

He explained that the plant would be self-sufficient in electricity as it will have a 52 megawatt power plant constructed alongside the main project.

“The main task I was given at my appointment was to industrialise Zambia and I can assure you that we have started and we are well on course,” he said

Dr Kasolo said the project which would lower prices of cement once production started was on course and that construction and ground-breaking would start in April.

“The project is on course, we thought of starting to build in April so we have to start ground-breaking and after that we will start construction.

“The project will take about two years to complete and it is a good way of diversification and good for the Zambian people as well as because cement will be cheap,” he said.

He explained that countries with cheaper cement allowed its citizens to build more structures while industrialising their nations.

Dr Kasolo said cheaper cement would trigger strong and proper roads in Zambia.

“Our cement will be much cheaper and people can start building in a big way, and Zambia will be industrialised.

“In the countries like China and South Africa where cement is cheaper, people are more developed. Even roads constructed will last longer,” he said.

Dr Kasolo told delegates last month at the 2016 investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town that the diversification programme was part of ZCCM-IH’s rebranding from a mining company which the institution had continued to be associated with.