Chile-based Cementos Melón has announced that it will open a new cement facility in Punta Arenas in the first half of 2020. The first stage of construction will see an investment of US$30m, with an expected capacity of 0.5Mta.

"To date, Cementos Melon has customers to whom it supplies bagged cement, distributed by sea from its other plants in the country. Here in the area [Magellanes] we have 10 clients and we hope that being here with our new plant we will add hundreds," said Jorge Eugenín, CEO.

The second stage of the project has already been planned at a cost of US$15m, which will see a second mill installed. Based on around 4ha of industrial land, with good logistical access and ports, construction of the first stage will begin in the 2H19.