Earlier this year, JK Cement Ltd commissioned its new dual 0.6Mta white/1Mta grey cement works in the UAE. The so-called ‘swing plant’ has effectively doubled the Indian cement producer’s overall white cement capacity, provided it with a white cement production base in the Middle East and positioned it to serve grey cement market needs. By MP Rawal, D Ravisankar and N Gowrishankar, JK Cement Ltd, India.
In the UAE, white cement consumption increased by 10 per cent annually between 2006-12 with future demand expected to grow by 8.4 per cent per year for the next seven years.
Across the wider GCC region, white cement demand grew at a CAGR of 8.5 per cent between 2008-12. As the Middle East prepares to host important events such as the FIFA World Cup (Qatar) and Expo 2020 (Dubai, UAE), this upward trend in white cement demand is expected to continue, with growth forecast at nine per cent per annum over 2013-20.
For JK Cement Ltd, this anticipated growth represents an opportunity to leverage the company’s experience gained in its home market of India, where it already operates 0.6Mta white cement capacity, enabling it to expand its production base and extend its global reach.
