Cementos Bio Bio announces new plant in Peru

Chile's Cementos Bio Bio has announced that it will invest approximately US$20m in the construction of a new grinding plant at the Port of Matarani in southern Peru. The plant's cement capacity is initially expected to reach 200,000tpa, however this could be doubled in a second stage of development.

The project has already received the required permits and therefore, the company expects to begin construction work this year, with operations expected to begin in 2020. According to Cementos Bio Bio, the new project and its works in Arica, northern Chile, are part of wider growth plans.

"With these projects we are consolidating our growth plan in southern Peru and northern Chile, which will allow customers in these areas have a greater supply of quality cement, at more competitive prices," said Enrique Elsaca, general manager of Cementos Bio Bio.

This follows last year’s announcement that the company would be selling 50 per cent of its shares in Peru-based Cementos Portland and therefore, would be departing a joint venture project with Brazil's Votorantim Cimentos to build a facility in Lima.