Cimentos de Maiaia launches and aims to lower cement prices

Cimentos de Maiaia has begun commerical operations in Mozambique. President Filipe Nyusi inaugurated Mozambique's third cement factory at the end of May. The Cimentos de Maiaia plant has a cement capacity of 0.25Mta and is located in the northern port of Nacala city.

The production unit is 85 per cent Chinese owned and cost US$10.28m to build. Cimentos de Maiaia employs 48 local residents and 60 workers in total. It will make its own clinker instead of relying on imports.

"Our immediate market is the north of the country," said Penicico Alberto, company manager. "Certainly we shall make a difference in the supply of cement, since we shall apply competitive prices, taking the competition into account. Initially we shall concentrate on the domestic market. For now, we shall not be exporting."

 "We want to balance the quality of our cement, so that we don't supply at first one quality, and them immediately afterwards another," he added.

The retail price of cement in northern Mozambique recently rose from MZN470 to MZN610 (US$8.30 to US$10.20) for a 50kg bag.