The Bajil Cement Factory, Yemen produced 360,000t of cement last year, an increase of 110,000t over 2003. "It is first time the factory achieved such an increase since 1973," said factory general director Abdul-Karim Harab. He added that the factory is about to finalize measures to set up a third production line to raise its annual production capacity to 400,000tpa. Last week, the Amran Cement Factory announced that its production of cement reached 611,715t, 111,000t higher than budgeted. The total production of cement in Yemen in 2004 reached 572,577t, far and above the 302,577t produced in 2003.