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months of the year.
The company in June embarked on a US$3,3 million refurbishment of its Harare plant in a move aimed at increasing capacity utilisation from 75 percent to 90 percent.

Cement production has since increased from 800 tonnes to 1 100 tonnes per day following the refurbishment.
Lafarge managing director Mr Jonathan Shoniwa said the construction sector now contributed 18 percent of cement sales, up from 6 percent last year in a market, which has been predominantly retail.

“National domestic cement demand for the first eight months of 2011 was 51 percent up from last year,” he said.
Mr Shoniwa, however, said export volumes were suppressed due to liquidity constraints in their main export market.

“Export sales were 21 percent below last year’s volumes due to fuel and foreign currency shortages in Malawi, our main export market,” he said.
Lafarge has projected cement production to breach the 400 000 tonnes per year mark on the back of improved operating capacity up from an average of 250 000 tonnes produced over the previous years. The listed company is part of French conglomerate Lafarge that has operations in 78 countries and has annual revenue of US$27 billion. – New Ziana.