South African cement producer PPC has expanded its operations, and recently launched Habesha Cement Share Company in Ethiopia.

The company said the opening of this new branch marked the first of its kind in Ethiopia and consists of more than 16 500 Ethiopian shareholders.

The ceremony was officiated by the country’s Prime Minister, Ato Hailemariam Desalegn, and was held in the capital, Addis Ababa.

The new plant is expected to produce 1.4 million tonnes of cement a year. PPC said this production volume will address the demand for cement and assist the booming construction and infrastructure activities in Ethiopia.

The completion of PPC’s Ethiopia site is the company’s third outside Africa.

In mid-April, the company’s first truck load of saleable cement was dispatched in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This plant was commissioned in February 2017.

“With the completion of the plants in the DRC and Ethiopia we have achieved two significant milestones in our quest to become a major player in the cement industry across Africa,” PPC managing director Njombo Luleka said. “Both plants have been built using the latest technologies, in line with international standards.”

Luleka said the company was excited about its two new plants, and that as a company, it remains committed to bringing innovative products and breakthrough engineering expertise to the continent’s growing markets.