Introduction to the Ethiopian Cement Market
Cement is by far the most important construction material manufactured in Ethiopia accounting for about 90% of the gross value of production of non-metallic building materials. The cement industry is a pioneer modern manufacturing industry in Ethiopia, whose origins dates back to the nineteen thirties.
The first cement plant to be established in Ethiopia was Dire Dawa Cement and Lime Factory. It was built by the Italian occupying forces in 1938 to expand infrastructure development for their colonial needs. It had a capacity of 120 tonnes of clinker per day.
Another cement plant located in Massawa (now part of Eritrea) was built before World War II and had a capacity of 45 tonnes of clinker per day. It was dismantled in the early nineteen forties.
In response to the increasing demand for cement, the Addis Ababa and Massawa cement factories were established in 1964 and 1965, respectively, with 70,000 tonnes of clinker per year (tcpa) capacity each. The construction and commissioning of Mugher Cement Factory in 1984 allowed a rapid increase in capacity to 480,000 tcpa after a period of stagnation in the early 1980’s when output had levelled off at about 180,000 tcpa. Mugher Cement Factory (MCF), which was commissioned in 1984 with a capacity of 300,000 tcpa, doubled its capacity to 600,000 tcpa in 1990, with the construction of a second line. The above developments indicate the gradual growth of the cement industry in Ethiopia.
The Dire Dawa plant has been closed down after 50 years of operation. Currently, a major rehabilitation effort has now enabled production of 30,000 tonnes of cement per year. The Addis Ababa plant is over 35 years old and no longer produces clinker. The plant in Massawa (Eritrea) is no longer in Ethiopia, and it is of little importance in any case, considering its age and reduced capacity. The above considerations leave the Mugher Cement Factory as the major operational cement factory in Ethiopia at present. Recently, the factory has
The first cement plant to be established in Ethiopia was Dire Dawa Cement and Lime Factory. It was built by the Italian occupying forces in 1938 to expand infrastructure development for their colonial needs. It had a capacity of 120 tonnes of clinker per day.
Another cement plant located in Massawa (now part of Eritrea) was built before World War II and had a capacity of 45 tonnes of clinker per day. It was dismantled in the early nineteen forties.
In response to the increasing demand for cement, the Addis Ababa and Massawa cement factories were established in 1964 and 1965, respectively, with 70,000 tonnes of clinker per year (tcpa) capacity each. The construction and commissioning of Mugher Cement Factory in 1984 allowed a rapid increase in capacity to 480,000 tcpa after a period of stagnation in the early 1980’s when output had levelled off at about 180,000 tcpa. Mugher Cement Factory (MCF), which was commissioned in 1984 with a capacity of 300,000 tcpa, doubled its capacity to 600,000 tcpa in 1990, with the construction of a second line. The above developments indicate the gradual growth of the cement industry in Ethiopia.
The Dire Dawa plant has been closed down after 50 years of operation. Currently, a major rehabilitation effort has now enabled production of 30,000 tonnes of cement per year. The Addis Ababa plant is over 35 years old and no longer produces clinker. The plant in Massawa (Eritrea) is no longer in Ethiopia, and it is of little importance in any case, considering its age and reduced capacity. The above considerations leave the Mugher Cement Factory as the major operational cement factory in Ethiopia at present. Recently, the factory has