From October 2011 to October this year, Venezuelan cement companies produced 8.295Mt of cement, the highest annualised output in the country’s history, according to Entorno Inteligente.

Minister of Industries, Ricardo Menendez said that since 2010, when cement companies were nationalised, until 2012, there has been a steady increase in production figures in the country. In 2010, output reached 7.12Mt while in 2011, this figure increased to 7.7Mta.

"This growth is linked to the Great Housing Mission Venezuela, the programme which has broken the production parameters of the construction sector to meet the social needs of the population,” he said.

He added that the current production capacity is 9.09Mt, but that many of the plants are old and date from the mid-20th century. Menendez announced the state would invest US$1206m in the cement sector to modernise the works, including the construction of new lines and plants.

One new production unit would be the second kiln line at the San Sebastián de los Reyes plant, in the south of Aragua, which would see capacity at the site rise to 1Mta in 18 months’ time. In addition, there will be investment at the Invecem works in Puerto Cumarebo, which will have an extra 0.4Mta by mid-2013. Cemento Andino will also increase production by 1.2Mt.

The various investment projects are expected to add 3.8Mta to the national capacity total.