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Demand for cement to go up

HeidelbergCement boss shares the company's plan for Bangladesh with The Daily Star

Abdullah Mamun
“We expect the need for high quality cement to increase significantly in the coming years, especially due to new government infrastructure projects. With the new mill we are very well prepared for this demand growth”***
THE demand for quality cement will rise in Bangladesh mainly due to different upcoming government projects, said a senior official of a multinational cement company operating in Bangladesh.
HeidelbergCement Bangladesh recendy expanded its capacity in Chittagong, setting up a new plant at around $16 million and with a production capacity of eight lakh tonnes a year.
Bernd Scheifele, chairman of the managing board of the cement maker, came to Bangladesh in a short visit to inaugurate the new plant in the port city.
The Daily Star sat with him to know about the company's investment, infrastructure and the challenges they face in Bangladesh.
Scheifele first came to Bangladesh in 2008. After three years, he sees a lot of changes in the country, especially in infrastructure.
“It's very important for the development of the country,” he said. The overall development of the country is satisfactory in his eyes, he said.
“We expect the need for high quality cement to increase significantiy in the coming years, especially due to new government infrastructure projects. With the new mill we are very well prepared for this demand growth.”
The investment in Bangladesh is part of their long-term strategy to expand their capacities in attractive emerging markets, said the chairman.
He said, compared to China and India foreign direct investment in Bangladesh is still low and should improve.
Mentioning that political stability is one of the main concerns for the investors, he said the political environment was satisfactory in the last three years.
Two main political parties will have to put joint efforts to develop the country, he said, adding that businesses cannot grow if there are wildcat strikes.
The chairman said the company's total production capacity is 2.4 millions tonnes a year now.
Scheifele said the company has 11 percent to 12 percent market share in Bangladesh, where around 15 cement makers are operating.
“We will invest another $5 million this year for the automation of our plants," he said.
The company markets its Scan brand cement in Dhaka and the Ruby brand in Chittagong.
"If everything goes well, we will set up another plant by the next two years,” he said, adding that the company has so far invested more than $100 million in Bangladesh.
"We see Bangladesh as a second tier emerging market, while China, India, Brazil and Russia are in the first tier.”
Scheifele said the company also offers customised cement products for different types of infrastructure.
The chairman of the company said traffic management in the Dhaka city was the worst in his eyes.
He stressed developing infrastructure on a priority basis and executing projects in a proper way.
Scheifele also called upon the government to take lesson from other countries such as China and Malaysia.
Dhaka should speed up its development works, otherwise it will fall behind other cities, he said.
About the recent financial slowdown worldwide, he said the recession was the worst since the Second World War.
"Our sales dropped by 45 percent in the US and 40 percent in the UK due to the recession," he said.
Now the company is coming back out of the crisis and the market is recovering, he said.
The confidence of the markets such as Bangladesh, India, Russia, Indonesia, Africa and Australia is growing continuously, he said.