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Home / New cement plant boosts Ohorongo’s output to 1 million tonnes per year
New cement plant boosts Ohorongo’s output to 1 million tonnes per year
2016-12-02Staff Report 2 Otavi Ohorongo Cement inaugurated a new Composite Cement Plant and third packaging line on Wednesday, which will boost the company’s cement production to one million tonnes per year, sufficient for Namibia’s domestic needs and beyond. The new production unit will allow Ohorongo Cement to produce and supply Namibia with various types of consistent high quality cement, while the new packaging line will increase the packaging of cement from the current 4 400 bags per hour to 6 800 bags per hour. In addition to the packaging line, Ohorongo has also installed a two-tonne ‘Big Bag’ filling station for special projects aimed at optimising logistics. The company says contractors on the two new projects transferred skills and knowledge to the local workforce responsible for the operation of the new cement production plant and maintenance of the packaging line. The N$150 million project was constructed using the latest technology and was inaugurated by Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Kornelia Shilunga, who described the investment as a testament to the importance that Ohorongo Cement attaches to the development of the country. She further commended the company for setting the bar high for future investors in terms of execution, standards and quality of all value added products. “This further strengthens our credibility as a nation that inasmuch as we invite investors, we also expect them to produce products that are of world class quality,” Shilunga said. At the same occasion the Namibian Standards Institute (NSI) certified Ohorongo Cement’s products for fulfilling the requirements of the Namibian Standard NAMS/EN 197-1:2014, which gives specification and conformity criteria for common types of cement. NSI CEO Chie Wasserfall explained that the certificate would allow Ohorongo Cement to enter the Zambian and Botswana markets without additional certification and inspections. “Ohorongo Cement will be allowed to use the marks of conformity on the specified cements. This gives customers and end-users peace of mind whenever purchasing or using the cement on which the NSI mark appears,” she said. Speaker of the National Assembly Prof Peter Katjavivi, former mines and energy minister Isack Katali, Otjozondjupa Governor Otto Ipinge, German Ambassador to Namibia Mathias Schlaga and Ohorongo Cement Board members were among those who attended the event at Farm Sargberg. 2016-12-02Staff Report 2
