Iran is planning to build cement factories in Libya and Iraq, ISNA quoted the minister of industry, mine, and trade as saying on Wednesday. The ministry added that the country is highly capable of exporting engineering services in the cement industry.
Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh’s comments were made during the inauguration ceremony of the seventh international exhibition of cement and concrete. “Iran has a history of building cement factories in foreign countries such as Venezuela and Syria,” he said, adding that the cement factory in Venezuela is currently producing the construction material with an annual production capacity of 1 million metric tons.
The minister also said the cement industry’s target to export 20 million metric tons per annum was expected to be achieved by the end of this year considering the great potential and capacities of the sector, according to IRNA’s report.
“The country’s cement production capacity is currently at 80 million metric tons per year and it is expected to hit 120 million metric tons by 2025”, stated the minister, adding that more than 20 million metric tons of cement were exported last year (ended March 2014).
Nematzadeh urged the ministry of road and urban development to use more concrete in building roads as it is more durable than asphalt and would help increase cement consumption. He said pilot projects for paving concrete roads have already started across the country.
Cement production during the first three quarters of the current Iranian year topped 51 million metric tons while only 14.5 million metric tons were exported. Main export destinations include Iraq, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Russia. Iraq had the largest share with 51%.
