Phase one of Caribbean Cement Company Limited’s (CCCL’s) expansion project, which will boost cement production by as much as 30 per cent, is progressing towards full completion next year.

The company’s newly appointed managing director, Jorge Martinez, indicated that civil works such as mechanical assembly, erection, and electrical are currently being undertaken.

These are being done in tandem with the arrival and delivery of several spare parts, as well as the procurement of the main equipment and implementation of service contracts.

“When completed, this project will further reduce our carbon emissions and deliver increased output from 2,600 to 2,850 tonnes of clinker per day to meet the increased local demand for cement. We will also have the capacity to explore options for exporting to other countries within the Caribbean community. These exports will benefit Jamaica’s economy through foreign currency income,” he pointed out.

With an investment of US$40 million, Martinez disclosed that the project has already created local jobs and will be entirely funded from the company’s coffers.

“So far, a total of 150 skilled workers are currently employed on the project and have completed the engineering phase,” he said.

First announced in 2022, the expansion and increased capacity project of CCCL’s operations will strengthen the self-sufficiency of the cement-manufacturing industry, reduce dependency on cement imports, and reinforce the company’s priority to serve the growth of the construction sector in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

It is anticipated that when this expansion is completed, Carib Cement’s production capacity will increase by approximately 300,000 metric tonnes.

The project will also help Cemex to reach its ambitious sustainability consolidated targets of reduced CO2 emissions under its Future in Action programme, optimising heat consumption in the cement production process, and minimising the carbon footprint of its activities in Jamaica.