The East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) has resumed operations after shutting down for a month to pave way for renovations and upgrades.
Following the upgrades, Portland has resumed full production with a capacity to produce 1 million metric tonnes of cement annually by the year 2026, and improvement from the current 310,000 metric tonnes.
The factory upgrade at the EAPCC was undertaken by seven local contractors, including Edter International Limited, Rokan Engineering Services Limited, Wabrian Enterprises Limited, and Jasu Trading Company Limited. Others are Refrack (A) Limited, Danken Engineering Limited, and Linkmax Contracting Company.
“With the finalisation of the plant refurbishment and the resultant improved production and efficiency, we are confident that the company will accomplish the production and revenue targets. This will in turn translate into positive returns to the company’s shareholders in terms of dividends,” said EAPCC board chairperson Richard Mbithi.
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Industry, Trade and Investments Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano who graced the reopening of the plant said that the recommissioning of the plant marks a transformative moment for the country’s manufacturing sector, a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and industrialisation.
“Despite the challenges, the government has remained resolute in its commitment to supporting the competitiveness and growth of local industries. One of the key initiatives in this regard has been setting ambitious targets for the manufacturing sector, including increasing its contribution to GDP to 20 per cent by 2027,” she said.
Portland Cement undertook the first phase of maintenance two years ago and it involved the replacement of the kiln shell which was completed in September 2022.
The current upgrade started when the company shut down for 25 days starting on March 13, 2024.
The renovations and upgrades sort to replace bag filters, refractory bricks, and refurbishment of the grate cooler system.
Portland was also looking at achieving operational efficiency by achieving an enhanced thermo efficiency and improving the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of its Kiln to 250 hours.
