As part of its investment drive in the cement manufacturing sector of the nation’s economy, the management of United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited (UNICEM) says its N84 billion additional 2.5 million tons capacity plant would come on stream by 2016.
BusinessDay reports that Bukola Adebisi, technical service engineer of the company, gave the hint during the company’s trade sensitisation programme for its customers and users in Delta, Anambra states and environs in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
According to Adebisi, Asaba, Nnewi and Onitsha are some of the key markets of the company in the Asaba/Onitsha zone, as the forum is one of the avenues through which the management engages its customers and part of strategy to reach 5000 end users in 2014, with information on product application.
He said UNICEM, the third largest cement manufacturing company in the country, and dominates the cement production in the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones, currently produced 50 million bags of cement in its 2.5 million installed tons capacity plant at Mfamosing, Akamkpa in Cross River State.
He said the new plant, when in operation, would inject additional 50 million bags of cement into the nation’s economy, thereby shoring up its annual production to 100 million bags.
While assuring that the importation of cement would be a thing of the past by 2017, he said the company as of the moment had the capacity to meet the demand of Nigerians, noting that the establishment, which operates with modern state-of-the-art facilities under strict quality assurance control and regulations, dispatched an average of 220 trucks to the open market daily.
The company’s products complied with the international best practices as well as the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) that encouraged grading of cement products, which resulted to its Unicem CEM 11 32.5R and Unicem Cem 11, 42.5N products, respectively, he said.
The products are designed to serve diverse range of customers, from blocking moulders, home-owners, builders and construction companies involved in small to mega and specialised projects, Adebisi said.
He however described as untrue the wide spread allegations that incessant building collapsed across the country were occasioned by substandard cement, noting that the causes were due to poor and improper applications of building materials by builders.
He also refuted the allegations that blocks were responsible for building collapse, pointing out that the weight of a building was not on the blocks, and however advised property developers to use adequate and correct application of building materials in the course of construction to avoid any negative impact inherent in the construction industry.
Some of the customers who commended the management for the event, however, called for provision of incentive to boost their morale and productivity.
IDRIS UMAR MOMOH
