Cimerwa, Rwanda’s largest cement company by market share has said that construction of its Rwf70 billion second cement plant will begin before the year ends.

Cimerwa, a subsidiary of Rwanda Investment Group (RIG) — consortium of some 43 local investors is planning to boost its cement production capacity to meet Rwanda’s increasing cement demand that is triggered by the booming construction sector.

"We have finalized the preparations for the construction and building will start any time before the year ends,” Jean Claude Barihuta, Director General of Cimerwa told Business Times yesterday.

Rwanda imports over 500 tones of cement bags per year, most of it coming from Uganda, Kenya, China and Ukraine to cover the deficit.

Cimerwa said construction works on the factory that should be ready by June 2010 will be carried out by Pengfei Group Co. Ltd, a Chinese firm. The factory will be located in Cyangugu, the western province. 

The new plant will have an annual production capacity of 600,000 tones of cement bags compared to 100,000 tones produced by the existing factory construction sector. 

The factory plans to use 80 percent of energy for its machinery from peat (also used in burning bricks) as an alternative source of energy replacing diesel that experts say will reduce the total expenditures of the factory on energy to the tune of 70 percent.

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