US$30 million Duqm Plant of Raysut Cement to be on stream by Q4 2021

Raysut Cement Company (RCC), Oman’s largest cement manufacturer with global footprints today said that its US$30 million Duqm grinding unit in Oman will be on stream in Q4 2021.

“Duqm plant will add another 1 million tonnes to our capacity, helping us cater to Oman and other regional markets with increased supplies, where construction activity is poised to pick up in post-pandemic resurgence,” said Mr. Joey Ghose, Group CEO, RCC.

The Duqm plant will raise RCC’s annual group output to 7.4 million tonnes, and help the Muscat Stock Market-listed company raise output to 10 million tonnes by 2022.

Mr. Yousef Ahmed Alawi Alibrahim, Chief of Support Services and Business Development, RCC, said the Duqm grinding unit’s construction has been progressing despite the COVID-19 pandemic situation, thanks to the prudent safety and health protocols in place.

“This has been a challenging year for manufacturing industries in general, but RCC has been able to negotiate the hurdles with effective planning focusing on health and safety,” he said.

The Duqm plant is also a milestone project for RCC to scale up its output to 22 million tonnes in the near future.

Mr. Yousef Ahmed Alawi Alibrahim, who has been with Raysut since 2004, said RCC’s capacity expansion will help create employment opportunities for Omani nationals, leading to social and economic progress. Mr. Yousef Ahmed joined RCC as an accountant, growing up the ranks as head of the Internal Audit to Advisor to Support Services, before his current role of Chief of Support Services and Business Development.

As part of developing the Duqm plant, RCC had signed a land lease and Port of Terminal services agreement with Port of Duqm Company SAOC. The new grinding unit will also complement RCC’s expansion and new investments and acquisitions in Oman, Asia and East Africa.

Last year, RCC had acquired Sohar Cement Company SAOG in Oman at USD 60 million. It is also developing a new green field 1.2 million tonnes per annum cement plant near Tbilisi, Georgia, at an investment of US$200 million. A majority takeover of LafargeHolcim’s cement terminal at Thilafushi Islands in Maldives and an investment of US$40 million in a grinding unit in Berbera, Somaliland, are other RCC projects.