How Lafarge Africa plans to increase product portfolio

The combination of Lafarge businesses in Nigeria and South Africa to form Lafarge Africa plc was announced last Tuesday in Lagos. The combination is aimed at leveraging on the two largest economies in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with a combined capacity of 12 million metric tons per annum (mtpa), as well as operations in aggregates, ready mix concrete and fly ash.

What stood out of the announcement is the intention of the budding business to increase product range and give consumers the opportunity to make choices.

“Today’s announcement marks a key milestone. It adds momentum to our push for differentiation in order to deliver innovation that increases and improves our product portfolio,’’ states Guillame Roux, Lafarge country CEO, Nigeria, during the event.

Already, Lafarge WAPCO Nigeria has a variety of products such as Elephant Cement, Elephant Supaset, Lafarge Powermax and Readymix. Real Sector Watch understands that the multinational firm is vigorously planning to extend part of its 13 million Euros budget meant for innovation to the forthcoming concern. The focus of its innovation as well as research and development (R&D) plans is to expand operations in Nigeria and roll out other product range to customers. Analysts believe this is healthy for competition in the industry and could drive up the combined capacity of the forthcoming Lafarge Africa to as much as 24 million mtpa.

Currently, Lafarge WAPCO Nigeria boasts of high-rise buildings such as Cocoa House, UBA Marina, Elephant House Ikeja, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Union Bank Building Marina and Third Mainland Bridge, among others. These projects, according to the firm, underline the quality of products offered to the consumers.

Lafarge WAPCO Nigeria had earlier taken journalists round its state-of-the-art facility at Ewekoro, Ogun State. The tour re-emphasised the firm’s quest to offer quality products to customers, while giving them options.

“Lafarge is making the noise because we understand the advantage of having different quality products. It is more advantageous than having one type of product and leaving the industry exposed,’’ says Femi Yusuff, manager, product development.

On the controversy in the industry over grade and applications, Yesuff says cement is a product that does not work in isolation, stressing that even a poorly mixed or used 62.5 will make no difference, adding that the company has been in the forefront of educating other stakeholders such as block makers and artisans, among others, in this area.

According to him, replacement of 32.5 to 42.5 will lead to integrity risks, low strength cracks due to drying, shrinkage as well as long-term durability risks.

Lanre Opakunle, general manager, industrial performance, says cement is like a drug, which will have untold consequences if misapplied, adding that Lafarge is not afraid of producing any type of grade but is more concerned with applications.

“There is nothing to upgrade. It is not about 500 milligrams of Paracetamol, but what is wrong with you. We produce 42.5, but just like in the medical world, we know the danger in making all drugs available,’’ he states.