ARM Cement posted a 28 per cent rise in pretax profit for the first nine months of the year boosted by higher sales.

Kenya’s second largest cement producer said on Tuesday its profit rose to KES1.53bn (US$17.9m) as turnover rose 32 per cent to KES10.2bn.

Earlier, the company forecast 35 per cent growth in earnings this year helped by increased production capacity due to a new 0.75Mta grinding plant in Tanzania. Next year the company is due to launch its second Tanzanian facility, a 1.5Mta plant in Tanga.