Prime Minister of Algeria, Abdelmalek Sellal, on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of the project of a cement plant in the commune of El-Beidha, 170km north of Laghouat.

The cement plant will have a capacity of 6000tpd, or 2Mta and is due to be commissioned in 32 months. It will be built in Djebel Laaleg over an area of 63ha and is the first of its kind in the region.

The plant is owned by Algerian construction materials and mining group Groupement Amouda Engineering. The project represents an investment of more than DZD35bn (US$325.7m), including DZD11bn of the company’s own finances.