PPC recently announced that construction at the 1.4Mta works of Habesha Cement, Ethiopia, is well underway with overall project progress estimated at around 52 per cent.

Civil construction at the plant, which will serve the Addis Ababa market, is 45 per cent complete and mechanical erection has started. Some 90 per cent of equipment has been manufactured to date and 70 per cent of this has been delivered to site, according to the South African parent company, which holds a 51 per cent stake in Habesha Cement.

The project was initially delayed due to a lack of funding. However, PPC CEO, Darryll Castle, said that after a thorough project review, the full costs were now expected to be between US$170m-180m. "We believe this capital cost is relatively low considering that, on the continent, companies can expect to pay US$300m for a 1Mta plant."