PPC pumps R4bn into W Cape ops

johannesburg - cement maker pretoria portland cement (ppc) plans to spend r4bn to expand and replace its ageing factory in the western cape, it said on monday.
the proposed new plant to replace the riebeeck west plant - which dates back to 1959 - will also see production more than doubling from 550 000 tons to around 1.3 million tons a year.

orrie fenn, ppc's chief operating officer, said that with the strong growth in south africa's cement demand, which has grown by nearly 60% over the past five years, coupled with the government's focus on infrastructure development, the western cape could face a shortage of cement in the next five years if production capacity is was not increased.

the project is still subject to approval by the western cape department of environment affairs and planning.

the environmental impact assessment was released for public comment on monday for 60 days before the report is presented to the western cape department of environmental affairs and planning.

if the project is approved, construction will start mid 2009 and will take approximately three years to complete.