Following the fuel conversion at Industria Nacional de Cemento’s Villeta plant in Paraguay, its CEO, Jorge Méndez, said he expects up to a 15 per cent drop in the price of cement in 2016.

The fuel project will enable the works to be fired with alternative fuels including vegetable oil and forest waste as well as oil and petcoke. This is expected to lower fuel costs by US$22m.

Mr Méndez also highlighted the records in output, sales and invoicing. He said the company produced more than 55,000 bags per day at present and during the first half of 2015 dispatched 7.44m  bags, 1.032m more than the previous year. Moreover, the new packaging line at VIlleta is also expected to triple production to 150,000 bags per day next year.