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Caribbean Cement Company Limited, the maker of Carib Cement, projects a 150,000 tonne increase in output in 2026.
Managing Director Jorge Martinez reported to the company’s shareholders that one month into the operation of the newly upgraded plant at Rockfort in Kingston, daily production of cement was already exceeding expectations.
“Right now, with one month since we finished the project, we’re seeing daily clinker production above our business case,” Martinez said at the Caribbean Cement’s annual general meeting. “In 2026, we expect to see an increase in capacity of at least 150,000 tonnes.”
The expansion project, which cost US$42 million, was completed earlier this year and initially set out to raise annual production from one million tonnes to 1.3 million tonnes. Martinez, who was appointed head of the cement plant in December 2023, downplayed the initial goal.
“There is some misinformation or imprecise numbers about the one to 1.3 million tonnes because it depends on the baseline,” he said. “But right now we expect to exceed 150,000 tonnes. Plus, in the second half of 2025, we’re considering additional production above regular levels compared to 2024,” he said.
In addition to boosting domestic output, Caribbean Cement, Jamaica’s only cement manufacturer, plans to export 28,000 tonnes of the commodity to Caribbean markets, starting as early as August, subject to demand.
Regarding supply concerns, Martinez said: “Right now, we are not seeing any need to import cement”.
Production in 2024 dipped due to extraordinary activities, including a two-month shutdown of the kiln to accommodate the upgrade. The kiln, an industrial oven used in clinker production – a vital component of cement – was offline for installation of final equipment.
“The production in 2024 is difficult to say because we stopped the kiln for two months,” Martinez explained at the meeting.
Based on the company’s presentation to shareholders, domestic cement sales fell from one million to 950,000 metric tonnes in 2024, reflecting the short-term impact of the shutdown.
Despite this decline, the Carib Cement maker sustained growth in revenue, hitting annual sales of $27.9 billion in 2024. In the current fiscal period, March 2025 first quarter revenue hit $8.2 billion, compared to $7.6 billion a year earlier.
Core earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation also increased from $7.8 billion to $9.3 billion, underscoring the company’s operational resilience. March quarter profit improved to $1.99 billion from $1.93 billion a year earlier.
Caribbean Cement is worth $30 billion, up $26 billion in March 2024.
English (US) ·