Cockburn Cement has cut 44 jobs at its Munster cement plant in Australia and indicated that another 20 further jobs could go over the next 18 months as it restructures its operations.

WA Business News reported that the move comes as Cockburn Cement plans to import clinker to grind at its Munster and Kwinana facilities. By 2016, all of the 0.4Mta of clinker previously produced at Muster will be replaced by imports, the report stated.

The lime kiln facilities will remain operational following a US$46m investment over the past two years.