Zuari Cement on Tuesday held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 1Mta port-based cement-packing terminal at the Kochi port on the west coast of India.

The unit is expected to become operational by the third quarter of 2015, according to Nabil Francis, managing director of Zuari Cement.

He added that the Kochi terminal will  enhance the company’s access to western and southern markets as well as possibly increase exports.

Currently, the company, which is part of the Italcementi group, has two manufacturing units at Sitapuram and Yerraguntla in Andhra Pradesh along with a grinding centre in Chennai. It has plans to build plants in Karnataka and Maharashtra.