Ras Al Khaimah, May 18th, 2007 (WAM) - Sheikh Saud bin Saqr AlQasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, inauguratedthe new capacity expansion projects implemented by two main cementcompanies in Ras Al Khaimah, providing a major boost to the cementproduction capacity of UAE.

The capacity expansion projects which were inaugurated yesterdaysaw the Union Cement Company (UCC) commissioning a 10,000 tpd(Tonnes Per Day) clinker kiln, trebling its annual capacity from1.2 million tonnes to around 4.2 million tonnes per annum whileGulf Cement Company (GCC) added a second production line whichhas increased its clinker production capacity from 1.3 milliontonnes to 3.8 million tonnes per annum.

Sheikh Saud, accompanied by top company officials and dignitaries,toured the newly set up facilities of both companies situatedat Khor Khuwair.

The capacity addition exercise has helped Ras Al Khaimah, whichis the major cement production base in the country, to boostits cement production capacity by around 60 percent to reacha total of over nine million tonnes per annum.

Commenting on the expansion projects, Sheikh Omar bin Saqr AlQasimi, Chairman of RAK Ruler's Private Affairs Department andChairman of the Gulf Cement Company said, "The RAK- based cementplants decided to go for major capacity additions as there isa huge demand for cement in the country and the region. The twocement companies have incorporated the latest technology availableand with the new capacity additions, RAK cement output has increasedby around sixty percent to over nine million tonnes per yearnow."Union Cement Company's two- year long massive expansion programmeimplemented at a cost of Dh One billion has turned it into thelargest cement producer in the country with a capacity of 4.2million tonnes per annum.

Abdullah Mohammed Sayyah, Managing Director of UCC, said thatapart from the setting up of the clinker kiln, the project alsoinvolved setting up of completely covered limestone and silicastorage facilities and two clinker silos. He added that the companyis also set to add two 210 tonne/hour cement mills which arein the commissioning stage. UCC, which started production in1975, is the oldest cement company in the UAE.

Ahmed Abdullah Amash, Managing Director of Gulf Cement Company,said that the new 7500 tonnes of clinker per day production lineat GCC was set up at a cost of Dh 550 million. He said thatto rein in the energy cost, which is the major factor in cementproduction, the company has installed a system that has the capabilityof converting from one fuel type to another such as gas, coal,and heavy oil fuel. The company now has an installed annual productioncapacity of 2.7 million tonnes of cement per year and a clinkerproduction capacity of 3.8 million tonnes per year.

He said that GCC has installed a pneumatic loading system toload bulk cement to the receiving ship at a rate of 550 tonnesper hour and provision for direct importing and exporting bythe setting up of a Ship Unloading Station with a capacity of4000 tonnes per day, which is the first of its kind in the UAE.

GCC has also spend more than Dh 100 million for environmentalprotection projects such as installation of bag filters, automaticspray system for raw materials, building of a jumbo dome, extendinggreen cover area and covering all raw material yards. The companyhas been awarded ISO 14001 in 2002 for its environment protectionstandards.

The booming construction activity in the UAE and the region asa whole has led to a short supply of cement in the market, leadingthe manufactures to go for major capacity additions.

Ras Al Khaimah currently has five cement companies, the latestaddition being the Pioneer Cement Company which was inauguratedin November 2006 with a capacity of One million tonnes per annum.

The other cement plants are Ras Al Khaimah Cement Company, whichis also implementing a capacity upgrade, and the Ras Al KhaimahCo. for White Cement & Construction Materials.

STAR Cement LLC, an associate company of ETA-ASCON, is planningto establish a greenfield cement plant with a capacity of 5,500tonnes per day in Ras Al Khaimah.

Sheikh Faisal bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAK Finance Department,Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAK Customs andPorts Department, Sheikh Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Chairmanof Union Cement Company and a number of other sheikhs and officialsattended the function.