YCDC breaks ground on new cement plant

CONSTRUCTION work on the Yangon City Development Committee’s first cement factory started last week at Pyi Nyaung in Mandalay Division, said an official from YCDC’s Engineering Department (Building). U Zaw Win, the department’s chief engineer, said the factory would produce cement for use in Yangon buildings, roads, bridges, and water sanitation and drainage systems. “Anything left over from activities will be used to help meet market demand,” U Zaw Win said. “The factory will be built jointly by China’s Fong Fei Corporation and local engineers,” he said. The factory will initially be able to produce up to 500 tonnes (10,000 bags) of cement per day when it becomes operational by April 2009, at which time the plant will employ 300 to 500 workers, U Zaw Win said. The plant will eventually produce up to 1500 tonnes per day, he added. All technology and machinery to be used at the Chinese-designed, wet-process cement plant will be provided by Fong Fei Corporation. The factory’s compound covers 1442 acres and will include two rock-crushing machines. – Htin Kyaw