CONSTRUCTION
MADE TO LAST T
he Coega Industrial Development Zone – nestled in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality of South Africa not far from Port Elizabeth, it has served as an export hub and industry-friendly operating environment for more than 20 years. A duty-free zone with tax incentives and rebates, Coega IDZ is also adjacent to the modern deep-water Port of Ngqura, a vital South African gateway to global markets. In 2010, Cemza, with the backing of German powerhouse HeidelbergCement as part-owner, saw an opportunity. “Prior to our entry, there had been no investment in the cement sector in Eastern Cape for many decades, and the only existing plant was out of date in terms of technology,” comments Managing Director Tushar Agrawal. “The market was being supplied from other regions involving transport over long distances combined with import of cement from Asia. We saw this as being a suboptimal approach to the market that was not in line with the current technology and trends.
Having started production of precision engineered cement in 2018, Cemza has brought some much-needed home-grown capacity and quality to the South African market Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Josh Mann
Atop Table Mountain, Cape Town “This motivated us to work on the opportunity, to deliver a value proposition to cement consumers by putting up an investment to fill the
supply gap,” the Managing Director enthusiastically explains. Eight years of careful planning and construction later, Cemza began production at Coega IDZ and has never looked back. Today it stands as a regional supplier of high-quality, precision-engineered cement to Eastern and Western Cape markets, offering a locally sourced alternative and a guarantee of consistency and reliable turnaround times. Sold in durable 50-kilo shrinkwrapped and palletised paper sacks, Cemza can cater to the entire cement spectrum, from general purpose 32.5N to premium 42.5N and ultra-strong 52.5N grades. Each product is meticulously formulated in order to serve every construction need. Indeed, a major differential for Cemza has been the introduction of slag-based cements. These products are especially suited to building in coastal environments thanks to its reduced permeability, superior durability and resistance, and greater long-term compressive and flexural strengths.
Africa Outlook issue 83 | 45
