- New Hima Factory to add 500,000MT capacity annually
- GoU to save in excess of Ugx96 Billion in foreign exchange
- GoU to earn extra revenue from Exports
- Many new jobs created with increased business activity
Kampala, Uganda. July 30 2010: The first bag of cement rolled out of the new Hima Cement Factory in Kasese today, signaling that Uganda is on the way to becoming self sufficient in cement production a move that will save the country over Ugx100 Billion in foreign exchange.
The bag is among the 500,000MT additional capacity that the new Hima Cement factory will produce to supplement the 350,000MT currently being produced by the old factory. The new factory which has been built at a cost of Ugx 265 Billion was built by CBMI of China and boasts of the latest technology in cement production.
Speaking during an occasion to mark the milestone, the Minister for Energy and Mineral Development Hon. Hillary Onek commended Hima Cement and Lafarge Group for its commitment to invest locally for economic and social development of the people of Uganda. Onek noted that apart from saving the country the much needed foreign exchange the new factory will makes sure that there is adequate local supply which is expected to stabilize the price of cement in the market.
“The increased capacity from Hima Cement and other players means that there will be enough cement for infrastructure development locally and also a surplus to export to emerging markets of Southern Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern DR Congo thus earning the government more revenue” Onek said.
Addressing the same occasion, Hima Cement Chairman Hussein Mansi said that the new factory would create increased employment directly and indirectly and would also serve to increase Hima Cement community engagement in areas of health and sanitation, shelter, education and environmental conservation which have been going on in Kasese and Kamwenge districts where Hima Cement mines limestone.
“The new Hima factory is equipped with the latest technology in cement production and this guarantees safety at all levels. We can assure the market of high quality products manufactured under friendly environmental conditions which observe global standards in emissions” he said.
To mitigate the effects of climate change, Hima Cement has been in the forefront of several initiatives aimed at conserving the environment. The company has been substituting heavy fuel oil with coffee and rice husks for energy which has greatly reduced carbon emissions. Through the company’s Green Schools initiative, Hima has planted over 150,000 trees countrywide while over 1 million trees have been planted to rehabilitate limestone quarries in Kasese.
