Duna-Drava plans HUF5bn development

Cement producer Duna-Drava Cement Kft (DDC) is planning developments at its factory in Beremend (southern Hungary) that could total as much as HUF 5bn.

Duna-Drava is owned 50-50% by German firms HeidelbergCement and Schwenk Zement. The firm is currently considering several options for a modernisation programme that would start in 2005, but it has not been decided yet whether this will mean the upgrading of existing production equipment, or buying new technology, said CEO Miklos Oberritter.

As a result of the project, cement production would increase 40 per cent from the current 1Mta and cut production costs by about 30 per cent.

DDC operates two cement factories in Hungary, one in Beremend and one in Vac, which produce 2.2Mta of cement.  The Hungarian market used 4Mtof cement last year, of which more than 20 per cent was from imports.