Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) has announced that its 75% owned subsidiary Syrian Cement Company (SCC) has signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction  contract with a F.L.Smidth (FLS) / OCI consortium for a 3Mta greenfield which will be located in the north of Syria near the border with Turkey.

OCI has also submitted a formal request to the relevant governmental authorities for approval of a white cement greenfield production line at the same location with an annual production capacity of 550,000tpa. Syria currently relies on imports for its domestic consumption of white cement.

OCI announced its investment in the Syrian cement market on 2 May 2007 with the establishment of Syrian Cement Company in partnership with Mr. Ferras Tellas, a prominent Syrian businessman. The greenfield plant will help alleviate the growing cement deficit in the domestic market which currently imports in excess of 30% of the total cement consumed. The plant site is situated approximately 30km south of the Turkish border and 500 km north of Damascus.