Ultracem plans new Honduran plant

Construction growth and increased cement demand in Honduras are prompting cement producer Ultracem to make plans for a new cement plant in Cortés in the northwest of the country.

At present, the company has invested US$2m and employs 60 people in its current operations. The new plant is expected to push up employment to 100 but an investment amount has not been disclosed.

“The short-term plan is to build a production plant that employs a larger number of people and greater investment, we want to make cement in Honduras. Part of the raw materials will be imported and the other part will be local,” according to Ismael Ballestas, manager of Ultracem in Honduras.

With the new plant, the company will be the third-largest cement producer in the country. Ultracem also has a presence in Colombia, Guatemala and Panama and further plans to expand its operations into Costa Rica and El Salvador, according to La Prensa.

The Honduran Construction Industry Chamber (CHICO) forecasts around seven per cent YoY growth for the country’s construction sector in 2019, similar to the 7.1 per cent reported in 2018.