COMPANY POISED TO BRING BIG BENEFITS

In the next four months, Barbados could have a new supplier of cement which could assist with the need for a reduction in cement prices.

According to Mark Maloney, who is the principal behind the company Alternative Cement Limited, they should be coming to the market very soon as their target date is April 2014.

“We are hoping for April to be able to be distributing,” said Maloney, who added that they are going through a lot of procedural work and the logistical side of it is being finalised in order to commence operations.

Mark Maloney.

Maloney, who is also in the construction industry, said that the world is changing and one has to look for alternative solutions to “everything that we do that can have benefits to the economies. We can’t just continue using products and consuming products that prices are going up all the time and there are no innovations. We are looking to innovate and this is one of the things that we have been working hard on and we are going to be starting very shortly to distribute it in Barbados and the other Eastern Caribbean islands”.

The company also hopes to set up plants in two other Caribbean territories – Trinidad and Jamaica – and has invested a significant amount of money in all three projects, however they have partnered with other people in the two territories.

“It will be a regional cement company and it will be supplying an alternative to Portland Cement using indigenous products from throughout the region. Raw materials such as limestone, calcium carbonate, silica and various other raw materials will create a product that can bring significant benefits to the industry. It can also help with reducing the cost of the construction industry as the product will be selling for less than cement is being sold for now and it will be able to offer additional qualities and benefits.

“We will not be needing any importation of crude oil and so on as is needed with Portland cement. So the importation of the raw materials will be down to minimum and it wouldn’t be depleting the foreign exchange and will have a surplus in the foreign exchange earnings to the country. A significant positive which is important, as we all know our foreign exchange earnings are what keeps us where it is next to the US dollar and the more our manufacturers can bring in the better for the country and that is one of the intentions for this.”

When completed, the plant, which is to be fully automated, will employ around 60 people and Maloney estimates that they will be selling the alternative cement for around 25 per cent less than what it is selling on the market for currently.

Though they will be selling for less, Maloney made the assurance that the quality will not be less, but instead there are additional benefits. The company plans to cater to all the demands in the island as well as being able to export its product to the neighbouring countries.

“The production capacity of the plant will be able to deal with the industry demands completely and the cement will conform to all industry standards and there will be no difference in terms of the standard.”


As for the added benefits, Maloney said that the product will be non-toxic, non-corrosive, and there will be various blends being offered for various aspects of the concrete industry.

“As Barbados and the Caribbean enter a different era where the requirements for concrete and other construction materials become more and more demanding, this product will be able to meet those demands.”

To this end the plant will be fully automated, and according to Maloney, there will be no pollution, nothing harsh in terms of the process, no mercury, as right now in cement plants there is a mercury component which is extremely toxic.

“There are no environmental issues with this. It will be dust free and it will meet all international environmental standards,” he assured.

The plant, which they hope to set up close to the Flour Mill, will be powered by an alternative source as they are looking at natural gas and solar as a possibility.

All of the required permissions to establish the plant and initial discussions have taken place. (CG)