Cement Products Limited (CPL), an emerging cement manufacturing company, has imported a clinker making machine to help lower the cost of cement on the market.
CPL chairperson Aslam Gaffer disclosed the development in an interview, saying the machine, which was manufactured in China, will be operational not later than mid-2016.
“Once this machine in fully functional, expect lower prices of cement since we will start producing our own clinker. As you are aware, Malawi is landlocked and the cost of transportation is expensive but having our local plant will surely impact on the pricing,” he said.
There have been concerns at the high cost of cement which producers have attributed to the importation of clinker, which is an important component of cement.
According to Gaffer, the investment which will cost about $14 million.
Commenting on the development, head of civil engineering department at the Polytechnic, Ashley Kanyoza, expressed hope for better prices of cement.
“We are aware that the current price of cement is mainly due to lack of locally produced clinker. But with such developments, we are optimistic that price can even go as far as half of the current price and we are assured that infrastructural construction will boom,” he said.
Cement producing companies imports clinker from Middle East or Far East countries every year and spend about $50 million (about K22 billion) CPL started its operations in 2012 and has a cement plant at Njereza in Mangochi.
