DANGOTE TO FLOOD MARKET WITH 29MTS OF 42.5R CEMENT

DANGOTE Cement Company is to make available to the market over 29 metric tonnes of special 42.5R cement for the use of block moulders as one of the steps towards putting an end to cases of building collapse.

The Regional Manager in charge of Safety, Mr Johnson Olaniyi, who made this known at the weekend at Obajana factory of Dangote Cement, explained that though building collapse is not only due to cement type, believing that the 42.5R cement type is 100 per cent standard to avoid building collapse cases, as it was specifically made for builders.

Speaking during a facility tour of the factory by block makers from the South West and Edo State, Olaniyi added that besides the “release to the market 29 million tonnes of 42.5R cement, we are making a minimum of 1million storage capacity of the 42.5R cement in our depot nationwide.

“We are also going to make delivery easy through our new three channels: self-collection, depot and home delivery. So, the issue of scarcity of the 42.5R cement will never arise.”

Olaniyi, however, made it known that the 32.5R, which is only good for plastering, will only be produced on request, adding that a new product, 52.5R, will soon be produced by the company.

He informed that all these are part of the efforts being made by the management of Dangote Cement towards eradicating building collapse in the country.

According to him, the company is equally embarking on intensive education, training of artisans on how to mould blocks and regular meetings with stakeholders.

On complaints of scarcity of the 42.5R cement by the blocks makers, Olaniyi explained that the market would be flooded with the cement before the end of the year, saying that the company is making a minimum of 1million storage capacity of the 42.5 cement in all the depots nationwide.

The company, he said, is also making delivery easy through the newly created three channels: self-collection, depot and home delivery.

The national chairman of Block Makers, Alhaji Rasidi Adebowola, said the facility tour and the lectures received gave an insight to the arts of making cement, but reiterated the need to insist on maintaining recommended standards.

He said with the exposure, the association is better informed on the differences between the 32.5R and 42.5R cement types, but endorsed the 42.5R cement for building construction. Meanwhile, Dangote Cement remains the main pillar of the Nigerian Stock

Exchange (NSE), as it closed the year 2013 with a market

capitalisation of N3.73 trillion, retaining its position as

the most capitalised company on the floor of the Nigerian

Stock Exchange (NSE).

Nigerian Breweries and Nestle Nigeria, all of the

Manufacturing sector trailed Dangote cement respectively

with a market capitalization of N1.3 trillion and N951.2

billion respectively.