Jordan Cement Factories Company (JCFC) increased its profit during the first half of this year by 16 per cent to JD30.76 million. Sales to the local market increased by 16 per cent, reaching 1.86 million tonnes compared to those recorded during the same period last year while sales to foreign markets dropped by 43 per cent to 167,000t. JCFC Chairman Abdul Illah Khatib attributed the higher demand in the local market to the noticeable boom in the construction sector.
The recent increase in the fuel prices brought up cement prices by JD5 or 10 per cent per tonne, he remarked. The company, established in 1951, is currently conducting several projects at a cost of JD11.6 million to help improve its environmental performance.