African growth for Heidelberg

Global producer of building materials Heidelberg Cement is expanding its operations in sub-Saharan Africa with the construction of a clinker plant and cement grinding facility in Togo.

The new US$ 250 million clinker plant, to be developed in the town of Tabligbo, will have an annual capacity of 1.5 million tonnes. Heidelberg is also building a new cement grinding facility with a capacity of 200,000 tonnes in Dapaong.

Heidelberg said it was focusing its clinker and cement production in growth markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe.

Dr Bernd Scheifele, chairman of the company's managing board, said sub-Saharan Africa held a lot of potential for growth.

“As West Africa possesses only relatively small limestone deposits, the clinker required in cement production often has to be imported at high cost. Our new clinker plant is of great strategic importance as it sources the limestone from its own deposits,” he said.

The clinker will be processed to cement in Heidelberg’s grinding mills in Togo as well as in the neighbouring countries of Benin, Ghana and Burkina Faso.

Commissioning of the two new plants is scheduled for 2015.