Carib Cement addresses delivery delays

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Caribbean Cement Company Limited (CCC) says there is no cement shortage in the market, but indicated that recent weather events have impacted deliveries.

“Caribbean Cement Company Limited is aware that some customers may be experiencing delays in receiving cement deliveries, and as always, the company is treating this matter with the highest priority,” CCC detailed in a statement.

The Rockfort-based cement manufacturer confirmed to the Jamaica Observer on Friday that the company’s production continues at maximum capacity. That comes against the backdrop of the company’s recent US$42-million ($6.7-billion) debottleneck project, which expanded production capacity by up to 30 per cent.

“Recent rainfall resulted in excess moisture in raw materials, causing minor operational challenges; however, these issues have since been fully resolved, and deliveries are being regularised,” CCC explained.

CCC is the country’s sole manufacturer of cement. Any delays in cement availability impact the construction sector, which has numerous projects taking place across the country. Buying House Cement Limited is the only firm outside of CCC allowed to import cement into Jamaica. However, Buying House is capped at 120,000 tonnes annually.