KENYA: The new East African Portland Cement chairman William Lay has expressed optimism that the company will recoup lost business.
New East African Portland Cement chairman William Lay
Mr Lay, who is the former CMC Motors Chief Executive, said during a Press briefing that his focus is on gaining back the lead in the cement market. The cement maker lost about 11 per cent market share within three years to the current 21 per cent.
“Prospects are that the cement market will be growing and thus we should be prepared to take the lead in the growth,” Lay said.
Lay, who termed internal wrangles “side shows”, said the company will be cutting the cost of the product and ensuring that there is enough supply to the consumers.
The company’s CEO, Kepha Tande, attributed the decline of the firm’s fortunes to stiff competition due to the entry of new players in the market.
“The CEO has no objection on the appointment of the chairman. My duty is to co-operate with Lay as the court has now cleared the storm that had crippled daily operations. Three years have been marred by wrangles but we have weathered the storm,” said Tande.
Tande said the firm has also stopped operating in South Sudan due to the crisis in the country. .
He, however, expressed optimism in the Ugandan market and in Arusha, Tanzania, saying that they would double the production of cement from the current capacity of 2 million tonnes.
Tande said the firm will be setting up another milling plant in Kajiado County within the next three years.
“We want to make the company more efficient in its milling capacity by bringing in new machinery,” said Tande.
Portland has been embroiled in a long and bruising shareholders’ war centred mainly around Government’s determination to have a new team shepherd the cement firm, a move that has been difficult with Lafarge’s upper hand on the board.
