Vietnam to have Additional 8Mt of Cement in 2007

The cement industry will operate eight new cement production lines and transformed three blast furnace plants into reverter kiln lines in 2007, which will help add eight million tons to the market, says the Ministry of Construction.

The ministry said with the current investment in and implementation of cement projects, the country will have an additional 23 operational cement plants in 2008, supplying 21.5Mt more to the market.

Currently, the industry with around 70 cement plants and some 30 grinding stations turns out a total of 32Mt each year, meeting 80 per cent of local demand.

Recently, the ministry has warned the industry of surpluses of five million tons in 2009 and 10Mt in 2011.

The country can become a cement exporter by 2009, instead of importing huge volumes of clinker for local cement production as at present.