Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation (CMIC) launched a new factory in Kampot province yesterday, with a total production capacity of 5,000 tonnes of cement per day.

The official opening of the $262-million factory was presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen in the Banteay Meas district of Kampot, where the factory will occupy about 110 hectares of land. The plant is a joint venture between local construction conglomerate Chip Mong Group, which owns 60 percent of the shares, and Thailand’s Siam City Cement Corporation (SCCC).

Aidan Lynam, CEO of CMIC, said yesterday that cement products from the new plant would help fulfill the rising demand for cement in Cambodia, which was estimated at more than 6 million tonnes last year. According to Lyman, CMIC products would be able to meet 25 percent of the market’s total demand.

“We understand that the demand for cement in Cambodia will continue to grow strongly thanks to the rapid growth of the economy and population, that leads to the increase of the construction sector,” he said.

CMIC’s new factory is among five licensed cement factories in the country, which include plants operated by Kampot Cement, Cambodia Cement Chakrey Ting, Thai Boon Rong Cement and Battambang Conch Cement.