Bolivia’s Empresa Pública de Cemento (Ecebol) expects to commission its new Potosí plant in June with the project currently 92 per cent complete and a budget execution of 85 per cent.

The start-up of the 1.3Mta plant will take place on 30 June with the grinding and dispatch of the first products.

"The first bags of cement will be in November to then verify the quality and put them on sale," said the country’s Minister of Productive Development, Néstor Huanca.

He also indicated that the metallic, mechanical and electrical installation has begun. "YPFB installed the gas network to the plant and the Ministry of Hydrocarbons guaranteed the supply of gas at the necessary levels for its supply", he remarked. The first empty tests have already been carried out to start up some equipment without load.