East Africa Portland Cement Co announces new clinker line project

East Africa Portland Cement Co (EAPCC) is planning a KES30.53bn (US$200m) clinker line in Kajiado county, Kenya. The plant, which will have a clinker capacity of approximately 5000tpa, will be located on a 300-acre greenfield site.

EAPCC (Holcim Group) says the clinker will be used for cement production in the domestic market with the surplus being exported to neighbouring countries. Clinker produced at the company’s Athi River factory is not of a high enough standard at present which has reportedly taken the competitive edge off EAPCC’s market performance.

“We are looking at investing KES30bn in a new clinker facility in Kajiado county. In the next year, the plans will be very clear as already geologists are on the ground doing surveys,” said EAPCC’s Managing Director, Oliver Kirubia. “It’s a capital-intensive business and we expect the repayment period to span up to about 40 years.”

The project is expected to raise EAPCC’s clinker capacity by 4.4Mta, bringing the company’s total clinker capacity to 10.7Mt by 2025.