Tokyo Cement starts pilot operations of new manufacturing plant

Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC commenced initial testing of a cutting-edge cement manufacturing plant in Trincomalee at a soft opening ceremony held on the 8th of December. The fully-automated, hi-tech plant is the company’s fourth mill and is slated to nearly double their production capacity when it begins commercial operations in February 2017. The cement grinding mill & bulk cement manufacturing facility once in full operations will add 1 Million Metric Tons per annum to the existing capacity of Tokyo Cement, bringing the total to 2.8 Million MTs per annum. The pilot operation was ceremoniously inaugurated by Mr. Tadashi Matsunami, Director & Senior Managing Executive Officer of Ube Industries Limited, Japan, the technology services partner of Tokyo Cement. The event was held under the auspices of Dr. Harsha Cabral P.C., Chairman and Mr. S.R. Gnanam, Managing Director of Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC and distinguished members of the Board of Directors of the Tokyo Cement Group. Representatives of technology and logistics partners of the upcoming project and the management and staff of Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC and Tokyo Eastern Cement Company (Private) Limited were also present at this milestone event. Mr. S.R. Gnanam, Managing Director of Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC, during the event said, “Our strategic priorities pivot on expanding capacity and strengthening our supply chains in order to meet anticipated demand growth fuelled by the country’s development momentum. Today, we set forth on yet another momentous journey and in the upcoming months we will strive to ensure that Tokyo Cement is fully geared to meet the rising demands of the construction industry and the national infrastructural growth.” The state-of-the-art machinery from Japan, India and Germany, that are being trialled at the new factory is a reflection of Tokyo Cement’s commitment to invest in innovative technology whilst adopting an environmentally-efficient production process. This plant commissioning symbolized the beginning of an ambitious expansion plan undertaken by the Tokyo Eastern Cement Company (Private) Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC, to reinforce the company’s leadership position. This plan will see the company investing over USD.50Million over the next few months to increase manufacturing capacity of Tokyo Cement’s products, trusted for decades for their superior strength and quality. The multipronged project will include the setting up of a fully-automated dry mortar manufacturing plant to produce the company’s innovative range of value added products. Upholding the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the company will also commission an 8 MW sustainable biomass power plant geared to meet the energy requirements of the new factory. As part of this planned expansion drive, Tokyo Cement will develop the private jetty in Trincomalee to accommodate larger vessels that can transport bulk quantities of raw material and finished product to and fro from the new plant. The master plan once completed will also add cement storage silos to contain ‘NIPPON CEMENT PRO’, Tokyo Cement’s brand of higher-grade cement, specially formulated for high risers and super structures, to enable an uninterrupted supply. Tokyo Cement has earned its reputation in Sri Lanka’s construction industry as the most trusted supplier of high quality cement and concrete used in infrastructure projects that have stood the test of time. Delivering superior products for projects that mark Sri Lanka’s growth, from iconic structures gracing city skylines, to overhead bridges, railroads and suspended highway networks, the company has cemented its legacy as a partner in nation building and is committed to raise the bar on quality and fortify its market position as a trailblazer. (Media Release)