LafargeHolcim to Open $300 Million High-Tech Cement Plant in Agadir, Morocco

With an annual production capacity of 1.6 million tons of cement, the new plant, which will have cost 3 billion Dirhams (MMDH) with its "Plant of Tomorrow" concept, is equipped with empowerment technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence and predictive maintenance to improve its production process, notes the industrial director of LafargeHolcim Maroc, Brahim Ez-zerrouki.

According to Brahim EZ-Zerrouki, these innovative solutions will make cement production safer, more efficient and more sustainable. He also pointed out that the group attaches great importance to the health and safety of its staff, noting in particular that standards are observed to fight or minimize accidents in the workplace.

First industrial stock market capitalization of the Casablanca stock exchange, LafargeHolcim Maroc recognizes the "right of withdrawal" to its employees, admitting that any employee may refuse a task when he considers that it does not fall within the scope of his competence and that he feels danger or risk to his life or health.

Since the start of the construction site in 2018, nearly 1,400 people, including a third of local human resources, have been working daily on the construction of the cement plant, revealed Abderrazak Gharib, director of the "Usine Agadir Souss" project, adding that like the other plants of the group in Morocco, the Agadir-Souss cement plant will be powered by wind power from 2023, will use alternative fuels and will devote 15% of the investment to environmental protection.

Shared value in the region

Regarding the social responsibility of the LafargeHolcim holding in Morocco, the director of the future Agadir-Souss plant unveils the "N’ Bniouw L’7ayat" program of the cement plant. This program, according to Mohamed Kharraki, aims to build lasting ties with the neighboring communities, to promote the culture of dialogue and to enhance all practices that allow the development of the local economy, with the aim of creating shared value.

In this logic, he rejoices, LafargeHolcim Maroc has built two new roads, one of 8 km in new pavement to bypass the commune of Tidsi Nissendalene and a second of 3 km to open up the village.

In terms of drinking water, a drinking water network has been set up in addition to the construction of two water towers and a pumping system powered by solar panels, said the director of the future plant.

On the education front, the Group has rehabilitated 4 schools for a total of 700 neighboring children, who receive a filled schoolbag and an apron at the start of each school year to resume school in the best conditions, notes this manager of the holding in Morocco who organizes medical caravans to provide health care to neighboring populations and the equipment of the intensive care unit of the Taroudant hospital to increase its capacity to accommodate patients.

Present in the Kingdom since 1928, LafargeHolcim Maroc is majority owned by a joint venture between the LafargeHolcim Group, world leader in construction materials and Al Mada - Positive Impact - a private equity pan-African investment fund, based in Casablanca.