BBMG and Tangshan Jidong resume US$290m Zambia plant

BBMG Corp and Tangshan Jidong Cement recently resumed work on the development of a 1.28Mta cement plant in Zambia. They will build the waste heat recovery unit and the first clinker production line. The preheater, kiln and clinker store are ready.

Up to 60 per cent of the US$290m investment will be secured from Bank of China, the IFC and South-Africa based Nedbank Ltd. Around 20 per cent of the project capital has been invested by the project owners, Tangshan Jidong Cement will raise the remaining 20 per cent funding from other banks after February 2019.

The original contract was made prior to 2015 between Tangshan Jidong Cement and Zambia-based Suhails International Ltd. and the cement plant was supposed to commence operations by the end of 2017. The IFC also launched due diligence at the beginning of 2015, according to reports published by Hebei government website and Tangshan local media. However, the project faced delays after it was approved by Chinese and Zambian regulators in April 2015 due to the restructuring of Tangshan Jidong Cement.