Oman Cement bags export order from Somalia

MUSCAT Oman Cement Company (OCC) SAOG has bagged a major export order for supplying some 6,000 metric tonnes of cement to Somalia's Dahabshiil group. The prestigious order worth about $252,000 has been bagged by the company with assistance from the Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ociped), a statement issued here said yesterday.

The Hargesia, a Somalia-based Dahabshiil Group, is considered a key player in that country with operations spreading over 33 countries. Its core areas of operations are said to be general trading, telecommunications, money transfer, foodstuff and construction.

According to the Ociped release, the Dahabshiil Group representatives had visited Oman late last month as part of a programme organised by Ociped, which plays a central role as matchmaker between producers and exporters in various markets for Omani products.

"The visit of the Dahabshiil Group is a part of our ongoing programme of inviting international buyers to Oman and organising buyer-seller meetings. Our research has underlined that East Africa is a strong potential market for Omani companies and we are pleased with the firm orders that are now being secured," Ali Al Araimi, director of export marketing facilitation at Ociped, said.

Meanwhile, another official of Ociped pointed out to Times Business that the Somali buyer had paid advance for the order. He also called on Omani exporters to look beyond the AGCC markets without any fear of market mischief such as defrauding, etc. According to him, orders like the one that OCC has obtained from Somalia, are examples that Omani exporters should try to cash in from.

"These are opportunities that Omani exporters should look at. They should remove the misconception about African market."

Amitava Saha, marketing manager of OCC, told this paper that his company had begun exporting oilwell cement to Turkmenistan. "We have sent one container load and the next one is in the process," he said. According to him, oilwell cement, a new line of product from OCC "is fetching" fairly good rate for the company.

"Our annual production capacity is 1.2 million tonnes and this year we will be crossing the 1.5 million level," he said.

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) conforming to Omani standards, sulphate-resisting cement (SRC), blast furnace slag cement and oilwell cement Class A and Class G conforming to API specification 10A are the major products of OCC. The oilwell cement product was introduced recently and is used for cementing oil wells.

The company is currently exporting normal cement to East Coast of Africa, and Yemen and grey cement to Tanzania, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea. It exports oilwell cement to Libya, Sudan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. OCC is a key player in the local market where it claims to be supplying about half of the PDO requirement for cementing oilwells. It also supplies to Halliburton, Occidental Oman and others.

Last year was a good one at Oman Cement Company (OCC) as production figures rose and growth prospects for the cement industry as a whole look positive, according to OCC. So much so that the company may, if demand holds up, increase cement manufacturing capacity in the future, says a spokesman.

OCC has been at the forefront of Oman's manufacturing industries, contributing to every facet of the Sultanate's development for more than 19 years.

The company is a winner of the prestigious His Majesty's Cup for the Best Five Factories in Oman for the tenth time. OCC was established in 1978, and has an annual turnover of RO21.6 million ($56.2 million).

-- Times of Oman

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