By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Following a change in the company’s shareholding from Holcim (formerly Lafarge Holcim to Haxon, Lafarge Cement Malawi Limited has reverted to its original name of Portland Cement Malawi Limited with immediate effect.
A public notice issued by company secretary, Constance Musopole informs customers, suppliers, contractors and the general public that notwithstanding the changes in the name and shareholding, all its products will unchanged.
“Portland Cement Malawi Limited will remain the home of our trusted brands which include DuraCrete, SupaSet, Kumanga and Khoma.
“We wish to inform the general public that the reputable legacy and the superior quality of goods and services that have been built over 65 years of existence in Malawi will indeed continue and also improve.
“Huaxin is among the 10 largest cement manufacturing companies globally with 115 million tons capacity. We are excited to begin this new chapter in the legacy of the company,” Musopole said.
In June, 2021, the China-based Huaxin Cement announced its plans to spend US$160m towards buying cement plants in Malawi and Zambia to expand its presence in Africa.
In a report, the company had said it would spend US$150 million on purchasing a 75% stake in Lafarge Zambia and US$10m on acquiring Pan African Cement from Lafarge Cement Malawi.
Lusaka-based Lafarge Zambia operates two integrated cement plants in Zambia with a combined production capacity of 1.5Mt/yr while the grinding plant at Blantyre in Malawi operates a 0.25Mt/yr,” the company said in 2021.
The deal gives Huaxin — based in central Hubei province of Wuhan, an additional output of 1.75 million tons of cement a year in the two countries and can further increase cement production through the limestone resources the two firms own, the report said.
NatureNews recalls that in 2008, Lafarge Portland Cement announced it changed its name to Lafarge Cement Malawi migrating to the company’s global brand.
The announcement was made at a press briefing in Blantyre and Managing Director Sjoerd Grueter said the move is a sign of growing commitment and confidence by the Lafarge group in Malawi.
According to Grueter, the change meant that there would be introduction of other international products and we would carry the Lafarge brand here which is represented in 80 countries.
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