The exports of the Algerian Cement Industrial Group (GICA) reached, in 2021, a total of 60 million USD against 9 million USD in 2018, said on Monday, the Director General (CEO) of the Group, Rabah Guessoum .
The total amount of exports made by GIGA since 2018 to date amounts to 123 million USD, said Mr. Guessoum in a statement to the National Radio, highlighting the suspension of the importation of this material since 2017.
Stating that the Group is targeting the West African and Latin American markets, Mr. Guessoum reported preparations to elevate the company to the rank of economic power in Europe. For this purpose, the choice fell on two factories, in this case, that of Ain el Kebira (Sétif) with a production capacity of 3 million tons and that of Chlef with a capacity of 4 million tons. to obtain the European certificate of conformity in order to facilitate access to European markets.
Referring to the difficulties encountered by the Group in terms of exports, the same manager cited the logistical problems which reduce loading capacities abroad.
In this sense, he emphasized the importance of complementarity between land, rail and maritime transport companies for the achievement of the Government’s objectives in terms of export promotion, through a network of logistics allowing the promotion of the national product.
In the same vein, the CEO of GIGA mentioned the difficulties in terms of the development of quays in the western ports which hinders the loading of cargoes, specifying that the loading capacities of the Group oscillate between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes / day while it can only load 6000-9000 tons per day.
He said, in this context, that the increase in loading volumes is dependent on the launch of investments at the ports for the development of quays and the strengthening of export capacities.
The GICA Group has obtained the certificate of conformity from the American Petroleum Institute for the production of petroleum cement since 2019, recalled Mr. Guessoum, indicating that the Group fully covers local demand, hence the cessation of all imports. .
In addition, Mr. Guessoum announced the entry into service of the Saoura cement plant (Béchar), which contributes to the reduction of transport costs to the South.
Stressing that GICA holds 50% of the national market, the same manager reported on projects under study, outside the cement sector.
In this regard, he announced the entry into production, June 2022, of the public marble factory (Guelma), currently undergoing restructuring and modernization to double its production capacity in order to cover the needs of the market with a product that complies with international standards.
Exports other than hydrocarbons have reached, for the first time, the level of 3.2 billion USD for the last eight (08) months.
