Lanwa Sanstha’s opening next month to ease cement shortage, boost construction

Wednesday, 23 February 2022 05:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Billed as one of South Asia’s biggest, the plant at Mirijjawila to produce 4 million tons per annum with first phase delivering 2.8 million tons

Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation Ltd., a state-of-the-art cement manufacturing facility that is expected to be one of the region's largest, is set to commence operations in early next month.

The factory, which spans 63 acres, is located in Hambantota's Mirijjawila Export Processing Zone.

A BOI venture, the total capacity of Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation Ltd would be 4 million tons with Phase 1 producing 2.8 million tons per annum. One of the facility's strengths is the emphasis on cutting-edge technology, with all mixing being done with European machinery for minimal wastage.

Commenting on the completion of Phase 1 and commissioning of the plant, Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation Chairman Nandana Lokuwithana said: “We are very excited to start operations in March 2022 at a juncture when the whole world is returning to normalcy after two years of pandemonium due to the global pandemic.

“In many ways, we’re optimistic that this venture will be a major boost to the economy in terms of technological advancement, foreign revenue and a solution to the shortage of cement which is crippling the local construction sector currently.”

He said that this facility incorporates a host of sophisticated features including a 2.4 km covered conveyor belt connecting the port and factory for increased efficiency, minimal wastage and pollution.

The state-of-the-art factory also features a fully automated Stacker Reclaimer Yard and two Bridge Type Ship Unloaders for ease of handling cargo, shifting from labour-intensive to tech-oriented aligning local industry with global standards.

Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation Ltd. Executive Director Dammika Lokuwithana said: “Once operational, Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation Ltd., is expected to meet the needs of all major construction projects in Sri Lanka, including the Port City and expressways, by producing the full range of cement products including Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Portland Composite Cement (PCC) and Blended Hydraulic Cement (BHC).”

Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation is a sister company of Sri Lanka’s foremost manufacturer of steel, Ceylon Steel Corporation Limited. The Group intends to extend the same product philosophy of quality and innovation to their new endeavour in a bid to secure market dominance.

The project is expected to revive the local construction industry by fulfilling the domestic demand for cement and relieving the local economy of the burden of dependency on imports especially under the current circumstances.