Latest German Cement Plant Inaugurated:

Fauji Cement hikes production capacity by 200 pc

Absence of support to cripple cement sector: Murtaza Mughal

To meet the future challenges and demand, Fauji Cement Company Limited (FCCL) has installed country’s biggest single unit plant to enhance production capacity by almost 200 per cent.

FFCL, the leading company by capacity utilization of 90.67 per cent against an overall average of 71.65, use to produce 3885 Metric Tonnes (MT) of cement per day but now it is producing 11560 MT.

We have invested Rs 20 billion to purchase state-of-the-art plant from Polysius (ThyssenKrupp) Germany while all other items including electrical equipment, packing plant, vertical cement mills have been imported from Switzerland and other developed nations, said Brigadier Muhammad Sarwar, SI (M), TBt, (Retd).

Talking to exporters and Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President the Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) after inauguration, Muhammad Sarwar, GM, Marketing and Sales, FCCL said that we are the largest capacity-wise exporters; we exported 40 per cent of total production last year to raised 250 million dollars.

“We are now better placed to play role in national development and earn more foreign exchange for the government,” said Sarwar.

At the occasion Colonel (Retd) Tariq Mahmood said that we are the only cement manufacturer using 100 per cent western technology for quality. We took the lead by installing first ever Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Processing Plant at a cost of Rs. 320 million to ensure environment friendly conditions, he added.

Omer Ahsan Alvi said that Fauji cement is being used in The Centaurus while our product was preferred in Mangla Dam raising, M1 motorway, Serena Hotel, Satpara Dam, Neelum Jhelum Hydro-Power Project, 8.75 km Lowari Tunnel and Pak-Turk, ERRA constructions etc.

CEO Faujian International, Malik Khalid Nawaz said that now we are in a better position to capture promising market of Sri Lanka. Every penny saved by FCCL is utilised for welfare widows of martyrs and orphans which is a noble cause, he added.

At the occasion, Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW said that government’s support is imperative to save cement sector. Absence of relaxations and inland freight subsidy promised since long have left only four out of 39 production units in profit. We produces 11 million MT of surplus cement, 400 thousand MT goes to Afghanistan every month while exports to India remains under 100 thousand MT due to improper arrangement by railways and absence of land route permission.

“Pakistan has great export capacity but price war has inflicted heavy losses on all companies,” he said. Murtaza Mughal said that reduced law and order, PSDP allocations and shelving mega projects have also hurt the cement industry. He said that Pakistan should expedite efforts for opening of land route for cement exports to India which is bigger market than Afghanistan. Such steps are imperative to revive ailing cement sector, said Dr. Mughal.