Turkey’s Medcem has invested in both its production facility and export capability with a view to expand its reach on a global scale. ICR chats to Mehmet Ali Ceylan, CEO, Medcem about the company’s plans to establish an international terminal network and what steps it is taking to decarbonise its operations.
ICR: You are currently in the process of expanding your production capacity. By how much and how does that change your total capacity?
Mehmet Ali Ceylan (MC): Our first production line had a clinker production capacity of 3.6Mta. However, the second production line has a clinker production capacity of 3Mta. With the capacity increase, we aim to reach a total cement capacity of 8Mta.
ICR: How long has the new line taken to build and at what cost?
MC: Our investment process commenced in July 2021. Initiating this investment during a time marked by disruptions in the supply chains, along with the rise of the accumulated demand that emerged towards the end of the pandemic, posed challenges. Additionally, the Russia-Ukraine war that erupted in February 2022, unfortunately resulting in the loss of many lives, became another factor impacting our investment process.
