Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC launched initial testing of a sophisticated cement manufacturing plant in Trincomalee at a soft opening recently.
The fully-automated, hi-tech plant is the company’s fourth mill and is slated to nearly double their production capacity when it begins commercial operations in February next year.
The cement grinding mill and bulk cement manufacturing facility when in full operation will add one million metric tons per annum to the existing capacity of Tokyo Cement, bringing the total to 2.8 million MTs per annum.
The pilot operation was inaugurated by Tadashi Matsunami, Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer of Ube Industries Limited, Japan, the technology services partner of Tokyo Cement. Chairman Dr. Harsha Cabral, Managing Director of Tokyo Cement Company, S.R. Gnanam, the Board of Directors of the Tokyo Cement Group, representatives of technology and logistics partners of the upcoming project and the management and staff of Tokyo Cement Company and Tokyo Eastern Cement Company were also present.
Managing Director S.R. Gnanam said, “Our strategic priorities pivot on expanding capacity and strengthening our supply chains to meet anticipated demand growth fuelled by the country’s development momentum.” “Today, we set forth on another momentous journey and in the upcoming months we will strive to ensure that Tokyo Cement is fully geared to meet the rising demands of the construction industry and the national infrastructural growth,” he said.
This plant commissioning symbolized the beginning of an ambitious expansion plan undertaken by the Tokyo Eastern Cement Company (Private) Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Tokyo Cement Company, to reinforce the company’s leadership position.
The company will invest over USD 50 million over the next few months to increase manufacturing capacity. The multi-pronged project will include the setting up of a fully-automated dry mortar manufacturing plant to produce the company’s innovative range of value added products. Upholding the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the company will also commission an 8 MW sustainable biomass power plant geared to meet the energy requirements of the new factory.
As part of this planned expansion drive, Tokyo Cement will develop the private jetty in Trincomalee to accommodate larger vessels that can transport bulk quantities of raw material and finished product to and from the new plant. The master plan once completed will also add cement storage silos to contain ‘Nippon Cement Pro’, Tokyo Cement’s brand of higher-grade cement, specially formulated for high risers and super structures, to enable an uninterrupted supply.