TANCEM to ramp up production at plant in Ariyalur

Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation Ltd (TANCEM) on Friday said Chief Minister of the state K Palaniswami has kicked off the company's capacity expansion programe taken up at a cost of Rs 809.9 crore.

With the expansion plan, the total installed capacity of TANCEM's Ariyalur facility would reach 17 lakh tonne a year in 2020-21 from the current 7 lakh tonne.

The ruling AIADMK government had in 2011-12 announced that the TANCEM's Ariyalur factory would be ramped up to produce 15 lakh tonne of cement a year from five lakh tonne.

Following the announcement, the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had laid the foundation stone for taking up the expansion plan in January 2016.

Kolkata-based Development Consultant Pvt Ltd was the management consultant for the capacity expansion while Larsen and Toubro has bagged the order for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) activities.

On Friday, Palaniswami through a video conference facility from the Secratariat launched the expansion programme of the plant.

The capacity expansion has been taken up following the environment and Pollution Control board norms for cement factories, a press release said.

The facility would be able to produce 10 lakh tonne of cement in 2020-21 taking the total installed capacity of Ariyalur unit to 17 lakh tonnne from the present seven lakh.

"The factory has been set up at a cost of Rs 809.9 crore and it will create direct employment for 250 people and create indirect employment for 1,000," the release said.

On the occasion, Palaniswami handed over job offers to seven people who have been selected to work at the Ariyalur factory.

Industries Minister M C Sampath informed Palaniswami that the corporate office of TANCEM and the Ariyalur units have bagged the Bureau of Indian Standards certification.

Besides the Ariyalur Cement factory, TANCEM has a unit in Alangulam in Tirunelveli district producing four lakh tonne of cement.

TANCEM has an asbestos sheet plant in Virudhunagar. The company had set up a stoneware pipes plant in Vridhachalam in Cuddalore district.