Local cement producers are responding to soaring cement demand across the UAE by pressing ahead with a series of expansions. Bids are under evaluation at two producers in Ras al-Khaimah, while Al-Ain Cement Companyis moving ahead with plans to close its Al-Ain facility and set up a new plant in Fujairah.

A contract award is expected within weeks at Gulf Cement Company, which plans to add a 6,000-tonne a day (t/d) clinker line at its existing plant, which has capacity to produce a total of 1.3 million tonnes a year (t/y) of clinker. A consortium led by Germany's Polysiusis understood to be the frontrunner for the contract, which is also being pursued by several Indian companies. India's Ercom Engineersis the consultant on the project.

Bids are also under evaluation at Union Cement Company (UCC), which is also looking to raise its clinker capacity by 6,000 t/d. UCC presently produces a total of 1.2 million t/y of clinker. German and Japanese companies are among the companies to have submitted bids for the project in March. The consultant on the expansion project is the technical centre of Germany's Heidelberg Cement.

Plans are also progressing to close Al-Ain Cement Company plant in Abu Dhabi emirate for environmental reasons and build a grassroots facility in Fujairah. The estimated $350 million plant is expected to have capacity to produce 7,500 t/d of clinker and will be financed by Abu Dhabi Investment Company. The tender for the project is expected to be released in the second half of the year.