2nd cement plant to be built by private sector in Muthanna

MUTHANNA / IraqiNews.com: A private-sector company is to build a cement factory, the second in southern Iraq’s al-Muthanna province, with a production capacity of one million tons and a total cost of $200 million, a media source in Muthanna‘s Investment Commission said on Sunday. “We have completed all legal measures for contracting and handing over the land for the construction of a cement plant by al-Mabrouka private company, the second of its kind, over an area of 350 donums in al-Fadwa village, 20 km southwest of Samawa,” Ali Hannoun told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The new plant will be of a production capacity of one million tons and a cost of $200 millions,” he added. Hannoun said the new plant shall witness the first steps of its construction by a Chinese company for the interest of its Iraqi Investor, Hatim al-Khawan, during the next few days, and will be completed within 30 months from now. “Both plants are expected to develop the cement industry in Muthanna and economic conditions in the province by allocating private and foreign capital to set up projects and help provide jobs for the unemployed in the province,” he added. Samawa, the capital city of Muthanna province, is 280 km south of Baghdad. SKH (P)/AmR 200