Najran Cement has said that commercial production of its third production line has started.

The Saudi-based cement producer said output was launched on 21 September 2013. The new production line has a clinker capacity of 6500tpd.

Najran Cement floated on the Saudi stock exchange in April 2012, raising US$226.5m to fund construction of the third line. However, earlier this month the company said that it had been refused permission from Saudi’s Ministry of Petroleum and Resources to supply the new addition. Najran had previously appealed against an earlier decision by the ministry not to provide fuel for the line which it said would be more efficient than its two existing lines.