Northern Region Cement halts production, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian cement producer Northern Region Cement (NRCC) has had to halt operations following the ordered closure of the road leading to the plant which is preventing truck access.

The road has been closed due to NRCC’s failure to construct an upper bridge road connecting the plant with the international highway, according to reports by Al-Eqtisadiah. Sources told the daily newspaper that NRCC was required to construct the bridge road by authorities to safeguard others driving in the area. The decision to close the road was made by a committee comprising representatives of the Governorate of Northern Border, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Department of the Police.

The closure of the road has meant that access to and from the plant has been blocked. In response to the road closure, an NRCC official told Al Eqtisadiah that construction of the bridge would involve an investment of SAR18m (US$4.8m) which requires approval through a meeting of the general assembly. The official said that the cement producer is following the matter up with the relevant authorities and has called for further inspection of the area as he believes it poses no threat to users. He also said the local market would soon start to feel the effects of the plant shutdown.