Southern Cross Cement plans new terminal in Brisbane

Australia’s Southern Cross Cement, a joint venture between Brickworks, Neilsen Group and Neumann Group, has announced an AUD60m (US$42.19m) investment for a new cement terminal at the Port of Brisbane. The 200,000tpa terminal will receive imports from southeast Asia and have enough capacity to serve 10 per cent of the market in southeast Queensland. 

Jonathan Riemann, general manager of Southern Cross Cement, expects population growth in the region to drive demand for cement.

"Some of the projections I have seen for population growth in southeast Queensland are mind blowing," said Mr Riemann. "Brisbane is expected to have 4m people by 2050 and southeast Queensland is going to be at the forefront of growth in Australia. With so much growth it makes strategic sense to invest in this facility."

The facility will have a 12,000tpd mechanical ship unloader, the first of its kind on the eastern seaboard, according to The Courier Mail. The project is expected to be completed and open by October this year.

Other producers in Brisbane include Sunstate and Cement Australia, with the former producing around 1Mta for the southeast Queensland market.