Votorantim to build cement plant in Georgia
Votorantim is building its first cement in Georgia, at Houston, Ga., which is scheduled to come on stream during 2010 and will have an annual cement capacity of 0.9Mt.
The Brazilian group has also made a major move into downstream operations in northern USA with the acquisition of Prairie Material, which operates in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. Last year Prairie Material generated a turnover of around US$483m, producing an EBITDA of approximately US$44m from the sale of 5Mm³ of ready-mixed concrete and 6.5m tonnes of aggregates. This deal gives Votorantim five quarries, 10 sand and gravel pits and 81 batching plants. In Florida, the associate Sumter Cement Company is in the process of building a 1.35m tonnes per annum integrated cement works for completion next year.
In Brazil, where it is the market leader, Votorantim is in the process of increasing its annual cement capacity from 26m tonnes to 33Mt. Two new integrated works should come on stream next year, 1Mt at Xambioa and 1.5Mt at Barauna, followed by the 1.3Mt Vidal Ramos works in 2010.
Four more grinding stations are being added, the largest of which, at Sepetiba, will have an annual cement capacity of 1.5Mt when completed in 2009. The investment programme also foresees capacity increases at a number of existing plants. Published under Cement News
