Qatar demand slows during Ramadan

Cement demand in Qatar has dropped by 40 per cent during Ramadan, prompting the country’s largest cement producer to undertake maintenance work during the slowdown.

Speaking to The Peninsula, Mohamed Al Sulaiti, general manager of Qatar National Cement Company (QNCC), said the company is taking the opportunity to conduct equipment maintenance to enable it to better serve the market during the busy season starting from mid-August.

QNCC in June contracted Fives FCB (France) to construct a fifth production line with a capacity of 5000tpd at the cement producer's plant in Umm Bab. This new investment, which will add to QNCC's four existing lines, is set to help meet huge demand for cement anticipated by numerous planned infrastructure projects in the Gulf state, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup.