Eurocement breaks ground on new Volga project, Russia

Eurocement Group, Russia’s leading cement producer, has held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new plant in the Samara, Volga region which is part of the company’s impressive multibillion expansion programme.

The new Samara plant will have a clinker capacity of 6200tpd (2.4Mta of cement) and is planned to be launched in 2015. The investment includes a total of RUR16bn (US$508.8m), the Russian Financial Control Monitor reported.

Eurocement plans to spend US$2bn to add 8.1Mta of cement capacity with four new plants in Russia. Following completion of these investments, Eurocement’s total domestic cement capacity will reach 38Mta by 2015.

Currently the group has plants in Ukraine and Uzbekistan as well as Russia and distributes cement in Azerbaijan and Belarus.

By 2015, Eurocement hopes to raise its percentage of dry-process kilns from 13 to 37 per cent. Moreover, it is looking to increase its usage of alternative fuels whilst reducing its reliance on coal.

Cement demand growth in Russia is expected to have increased by 11 per cent in 2011, with investments in housing, commercial and industrial construction and infrastructure expected to drive demand further.