West European Group SARL Ltd, a Luxembourg-based bitumen supplier, is setting up a bitumen manufacturing plant in Shimoni, Kwale County, to help in the manufacture of road construction material in the country. The manufacturing plant could potentially make Kenya into a net bitumen exporter in the future.
The company said the factory will cost Sh5 Billion to set up and operations will begin within 5 to 7 years.
“Currently, Kenya’s bitumen demand is about 100,000 tonnes, all of which is imported. The plant will have an annual capacity of 280,000 tonnes, turning the country into a net exporter of cheaper bitumen that brings down the cost of road building by at least 10 per cent,”said Mr Ali Paramani, CEO, West European Group said adding that the company will apply new technology which will manufacture eco-friendly ‘green bitumen.’
“[Compared to the bitumen currently used in Kenya], the new construction material is inflammable and [non-poisonous]. Referred to as green bitumen, it is recommended for construction of roads because it is not harmful to the environment,” Paramani stated.
According to the CEO, the bitumen manufacturing plant has the potential to turn Kenya from a net importer to a net exporter. Additionally, manufacturing the construction material locally could cut the cost of constructing roads by 10 percent.
Bitumen is a viscous black or dark brown material made from the by-products of crude oil. The material is used as a binder for road-building products. When fuels, solvents, and motor oils are separated from crude oil, the remaining solution is refined to create bitumen and other compounds. Unfortunately, diluted bitumen poses several threats to the environment because it contains substances such as resins which take long to biodegrade.
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