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[October 2008]
Uganda Clays Set to Open Sh25 Billion Kamonkoli Factory
The Monitor reports that Uganda Clays Ltd is in the final stages of completing its Shs 25 billion automatic clayware production plant in in Kamonkoli in Budaka District.
According to the Uganda Clays Manager at the branch, Cosmas Oloch, once installed with kiln cars, dryer cars, heat ducts and so on, this will be the first factory of its kind in Africa to produce quality tiles, full bricks and half brick.
Mr Oloch said that the Shs25 billion plant would start running single-phase shift arrangements and then later a double-shift phase before expansion of the kiln length and the dryers to enable the third phase shift to be used in the production.
He said the factory would produce a third of what the Kajjansi plant produces in a month before being upgraded to the third stage to produce much more than Kajjansi and any other plant in the region. "Actually we were set to commission the factory in October but we have been delayed by fixing of rails, installation of water pipes and tanks and then the underground wiring; otherwise everything is complete and even the raw materials are available to kick-start the work," Mr Oloch said.
He said the new factory will be energy-efficient since the waste heat from kilns will be reclaimed and redirected to heat and dry bricks.
In order to ensure maximum quality, Mr Oloch said the factory is divided into three zones; pre-heating zone, heating zone and the cooling zone. He said the construction of the Shs25 billion plant will make it the largest clay tiles manufacturing facility in East and Central Africa, as the company positions itself to become the regional supplier of clay tiles and bricks.
Uganda Clay is the leading clay factory in the East African region with a production of 70,000 tonnes per year from its Kajjansi factory in Kampala, followed by Kenya that produces 40,000 tonnes per year.
The establishment of the Kamonkoli plant with the aim of producing 355,000 units of tiles and 460,000 units of bricks per month will make Uganda Clay the biggest producer of clay products in the region.
ENDS