ARM cement plans Kenya capacity boost

Kenya's ARM Cement plans to expand its grinding capacity at its Athi River plant in Kenya to add 0.5Mta of cement to the company's production.

"We are completing a grinding plant expansion in Athi River which will give us an additional 500,000 tonnes of cement in the next 12 to 14 months," ARM’s Managing Director, Pradeep Paunrana said. While he did not disclose the value of the project he said it was funded by internal resources.

The extra capacity will increase the use of clinker produced by the company’s Tanga works in Tanzania. ARM has 1.5Mta of cement capacity in 0.75Mta works in Dar es Salaam and Tanga.

Planned infrastructure projects have resulted in rising cement demand in east Africa. We feel that cement demand in the region is going to continue to grow at 8 to 10 percent (a year)," Mr Paunrana added.

The company is also preparing a further clinker plant in Kitui in eastern Kenya but no decision is expected until all Tanzanian supply has been used. "There will be no decision taken on any investment until the Tanzania capacity is fully utilised, which will be in another three to four years," Mr Paunrana said.