Cement exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are expected to increase after Lafarge Cement Zambia Plc drew up an agreement with Zambia Railways Ltd (ZRL) to export 400tpw of cement to the DRC. Lafarge chief executive officer, Emmanuel Rigaux, said Lafarge would quadruple its exports to Malawi and the DRC.

The deal follows a policy directive by the Zambian government to the private sector to raise traditional exports and help stabilise the local currency. Lafarge Cement yesterday commissioned the new state-of-the-art rail loading facility in Chilanga and Ndola.

The firm has become the largest user of rail in the country and the first cement producer to be fully connected. Lafarge Ndola plant manager, Samba Katari, said the plant would next month increase its production capacity by 100,000t.

Lafarge Cement has a production capacity of 1.4Mta and a workforce of 340.
The Chilanga plant produces 1Mta of cement, while the one in Ndola produces 0.4Mta.