Though the company will eventually start producing its own cement brand, it will supply clinker to other industries in the initial months. [break]
So far, Nepali industries are heavily dependent on imported clinker for productions.
“We are inaugurating our productions on April 25. If everything goes as per our plan, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai will inaugurate it,” said Bikash Sharma, company coordinator of Ghorahi Cement.
According to Sharma, the company will commence operations by producing 1,200 tons of clinker a day for the first three months. Ninety percent of the raw materials required for productions will be sourced locally.
Ghorahi Cements will source limestone and clay from mines based in Tapa of Kavre VDC in Dang district. For this, the company has signed a lease contract with the government for 100 years.
Sharma said more than 99 percent of setup works at the clinker plant has already been completed. “We are at the final stage of preparations. We will complete all necessary preparations within 20 days,” he stated.
Once into operation, the factory, which is sprawled over 1,200 bighas in Laxmipur VDC, is anticipated to replace 20 percent of clinker imports, helping the country lower trade deficit. This is estimated to slash annual cement and clinker´s import bill by more than Rs 5 billion.
“Once we start full-fledged operation, we will be producing 2,400 tons of clinker a day,” said Sharma.
Even before operating to its full capacity, Ghorahi Cement is already the biggest clinker and cement manufacturing company in terms of installed capacity.
Officials of Ghorahi Cement said the industry will contribute at least Rs 2 billion in revenue to the government in a year. The factory is already employing 2,000 workers.
Likewise, another Dang-based cement factory, Sonapur Cement, is preparing to launch it product sin the market soon. Officials of Sonapur Cement said they have already completed 90 percent of the required constructions, including plant set up and other infrastructures.
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