East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) CEO Simon Peter Ole Nkeri has suggested that a container depot be constructed in Athi River, Machakos County.
Speaking during the opening of the 14th Kenya Home Expo in Nairobi on Friday, Ole Nkeri said the depots will reduce the cost of transporting clinker, a raw material used in the manufacture of cement.
According to a report published by the Daily Nation on 13th April, Kenya’s six cement producers imported two million tonnes of clinker by road from Mombasa port to the Athi River based factories.
The EAPCC's CEO said they are holding talks with the government to consider constructing an inland container deport in Athi River.
Increased production
If this can materialize, then it would mean that the cement factories in Athi River would transport clinker using the SGR as opposed to road. It will take shorter time for a larger volume of clinker to reach the factories. This will in turn lead to increased production of cement.
More jobs and better pay
With increased output of cement, there is possibility of increased sales. Increase in sales would mean increase in profit and consequently increase in salaries of workers. For the companies to handle larger volumes of raw materials and larger volumes of cement, they will require more workers.The container deport itself will provide jobs to thousands of Kenyans, many of whom will be residents of Athi River town in Machakos County.
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