Messebo’s Second Factory to Set up New Machinery
Tigrai Online
Dec. 17 2009
New machinery is to be installed for the second 1.7 billion Br plant which the Mesobe Cement Factory constructed beside the existing factory on the outskirts of Mekele, the seat of the Tigray Regional Government.
The money, 96 million in euro [141.6 million dollars], has been obtained entirely as a loan from the Development Bank of Ethiopia; only 15pc of this money was required in local currency. The contract to construct the plant and supply the machinery was given to the Chinese Hance Cement Research and Design Institute.
“The civil work has been completed. The machineries are now coming from China,” said Brehanu Werede, acting general manager of the project.
The new plant, expected to be completed by August 2010, will have a capacity to produce 1.2 million tonnes of cement a year, up from the current capacity of 630,000tn. The factory will also grind 3,000tn of clinker a day, 1,000tn more than the existing plant. When the work is completed, Mesobe will have equal capacity to Muger Cement Factory, which is undertaking an expansion project.
Messobe, established in 2001, used to be one of the two major suppliers along with Muger. It still is, but its market share has been falling, following the privatisation of the former Dire Dawa factory which is now National Cement Factory. The introduction of 30 new cement factories, some of which have now become operational, has contributed to the falling of its market share. The factory’s website puts its share of the market at 30pc.
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