Pressure on cement supplies will be greatly eased with the recent commissioning of Qatar National Cement Company’s (QNCC) Line 3 and the ongoing construction of Line 4.

Line 3 has a capacity of 4,000 tonnes per day of clinker. The plant was constructed by FCB Ciment for $180 million. The same company is working on Line 4 on a contract for $220 million.. The plant will be ready in 2008. FCB Ciment had also accomplished Line 2 of 2,000 tpd.
Production at QNCC in the first three quarters of 2007 reached 1.8 million tonnes of cement against 2.16 million tonnes for the whole of last year, the company reported.
There were no exports during the last three years with QNCC busy trying to fulfil local demand.
Before Line 3 was commissioned, an official of the company said it had been importing around 4,000 tones per day of cement to meet national demand.
With the latest project, QNCC will be able to produce 4 million tonnes per year in the near future.
Qatar National Cement Co produces ordinary Portland cement, sulphate resistant cement, hydrated lime and calcined lime. Its manufacturing units are situated at Umm Bab, 82 km away from the capital Doha.
“There are plans for further expansions including setting up cement plants in Pakistan and Eritrea under collaboration, the company said.
Forty-three per cent of the company’s share capital is held by the Qatari government.
QNCC reported a 71 per cent increase in net profit to QR244.94 million ($67.31 million) for the first three quarters of 2007 against the same period in 2006.
Sales rose 25 per cent to QR807.19 million. The net profit for 2006 was QR 200.1 million, an increase of 15 per cent.