Tuesday, August 5, 2014

KENYA: Savannah cement firm lowers construction costs by 30 per cent

Kenya’s cement manufacturing firm Savannah Cement said Wednesday it has developed a hydraulic road binder (HRB) product for road construction which may lower costs by 30 percent.

The cement blend product is used in road construction works to stabilize road surfaces and has been developed in response to a request by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

Savannah Cement’s Managing Director Ronald Ndegwa said the new HRB product which will retail at a lower rate than conventional cement, is expected to contribute up to 30 percent estimated cost savings on the 285 million U.S. dollars national road construction budget.

"The product development team has made a major breakthrough on this project geared at drastically, reducing infrastructure development costs," Ndegwa said in Nairobi.

Globally, HRB products are used in place of mainstream cement and lime products for soil stabilisation on loose road surfaces.

The development of the Savannah HRB product is part of a commitment by the firm which is Kenya’s latest cement manufacturing firm to provide a range of diversified products to spur public and private sector construction needs.

Ndegwa said his firm was committed to partnering with all players in the building sector to provide solutions in the construction industry.

To grow its local and regional market share, Savannah Cement has already lined up development projects valued at more than 300 million dollars which include an investment plan to establish a clinker manufacturing facility and commission the second grinding plant.

The firm has invested more than 100 million dollars to develop one of the most advanced and Eco-friendly cement manufacturing plants in sub-Sahara Africa with a 1.5 million tonnes annual production capacity.

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