16th February 2003

CELEBRATING SUCCESS: Mombasa Plant makes a milestone

Following the launch of an aggressive restructuring programme by Bamburi Cement Limited in 1998, Mombasa Plant today stands out as a leading light in the cement industry, a reference point to several cement plants within the continent.

The plant commenced production in 1954 with an annual production capacity of 140,000 tons. Today it has the capacity to produce 1.1 million tons of cement annually, supplying the Kenyan market, the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius, Reunion, Comores and Seychelles as well as inland Africa.

“We have registered significant achievements in our operations over the past five years in line with Lafarge’s standard of performance”, says Christophe Riout, the Mombasa Plant Manager seconded from Lafarge, the world leader in building materials and principle shareholder of Bamburi Cement Limited.

Projects undertaken during this period include an equipment upgrade exercise, a multi-million dollar investment whose immediate benefits include increased production efficiency and the creation of an environmentally friendly atmosphere that perfectly captured the c-existence of industry and nature.

A safety culture permeates the organization, and the proactive involvement of all employees within the plant continues to signal the impacts of the programme. “We recently celebrated a two year safety record, which translates into more than 730 days with zero Lost Time Accidents – this compared to the average of 30 Lost Time Accidents in the year preceding 1998”, says Christophe.

Several safety initiatives employed have gone a long way in empowering employees, making them partners in the journey towards achieving excellence in the overall safety of the plant.

Part of the restructuring programme involved the introduction of modern technologies in managing dust emissions and controlling noise pollution. “Of the 12 sources of fugitive dust identified in 1998, 10 have been successfully tackled”, adds Christophe.
Noise pollution has also been drastically reduced following the shutting down of the redundant and noisy equipment, and the replacement of obsolete equipment by modern machinery compliant with the European standards.

The culmination of the restructuring project has been the Open Day, during which employees have an opportunity to take their families and friends around the plant. “Our systems, structures and procedures are in place, as we welcome guests through our gates during the Open Day, which provides a perfect opportunity for one and all to acquaint themselves with the cement manufacturing process in an aesthetic and safe environment”, add Christophe.

From humble beginnings…

Bamburi Cement Limited was founded in 1952 by Felix Mandl – then a director of Cementia Holding AG, Zurich, and commenced production in 1954 in the coastal town of Mombasa. The factory’s strategic positioning would soon give way to Bamburi Cement’s astronomical growth, both as a producer and exporter of the commodity to diverse parts of the world.

Increasing demand for cement naturally translated into an increase in the mining of limestone, the principle raw material in the production of cement.

In 1959, Bamburi Cement nipped an emerging environmental catastrophe in the bud, by employing a Swiss agronomist to rehabilitate the vast limestone quarries, which now scarred the landscape as a result of intense mining activities.

Following the successful agricultural experiments and rehabilitation exercises conducted by Dr. Rene Haller, what was then referred to as a garden department was incorporated as Baobab Farm Limited, a fully fledged subsidiary company in 1977.
Ten years later, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) acknowledged the proactive undertaking by the cement manufacturing company, and bestowed the “Global 500 Roll of Honour for Environmental Achievement” award to Bamburi Cement and Dr. Rene Haller.

Bamburi Cement widened the scope of its operations to include the manufacturer of cement products in 1998 when it launched BamburiBlox, manufactured by Bamburi Special Products Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary company located in Athi River, where it had also set up an ultra-modern grinding plant.
Realignment of the ownership structure in 2001 would see Lafarge emerge as the principle shareholder of East Africa’s largest producer of cement.
The company consolidated its position in the Eastern Africa region when it acquired Hima Cement Limited in Uganda in the same year.
Bamburi Cement today stands out as an industry and market leader as well as a quality driven group of companies whose products are synonymous with strength.

SAFETY: An important element in the Mombasa Plant success story

Top, Employees undergo a practical safety training exercise on basic fire fighting. Mombasa Plant conducts a regular emergency response and preparedness seminar which equips us employees with basic skill in enhancing safety at the plant.

The focus on safety and the proactive involvement of the plant’s employees health and safety at Mombasa Plant in the past few years have given rise to remarkable results which have worked well to place the plant in an enviable position within the Lafarge cement manufacturing plants in Africa.

Up until 1997, Bamburi Cement averaged 30 Lost-Time Accidents – approximately 242 working days were lost annually as plant employees involved in accidents stayed away from work. Today, the story reads differently, with outstanding safety records registered. In August 2002, Mombasa Plant celebrated two years with zero lost time accidents.

A series of basic measures were identified and implemented with the goal of achieving zero lost time accidents among the plants employees and contractors. So prioritized is the issue of safety today that every meeting at Mombasa Plant, and indeed every Lafarge-affiliated company, begins with a deliberate and planned message aimed at re-emphasising the importance of safety.

Initiatives implemented include the establishment of a Safety Council and Safety Committees whose members, drawn from every level of the management structure, meet regularly to define safety policies and procedures.

Development and deployment of new procedures such as permit to work, lock out, cyclone and also cleaning have significantly reduced the risk of accidents in sensitive areas within the plant, while regular training has empowered plant employees. Safety inspections conducted every two weeks serve to identify risks and eliminate them, while a 100% reporting and investigation of all accidents and near-accidents assists in identifying the possible causes and corrective actions applicable for each unique situation.

Regular “tool box” talks – informal sessions between each supervisor and his team serve as an apt forum for disseminating information. Each employee is provided with personal protective equipment – helmets, dust masks, earplugs and appropriate clothing and footwear.

In reinforcing the safety culture, Mombasa Plant rewards improved safety performance, and conducts safety quizzes and competitions. During the celebrations marking the two year safety achievement, for example, each employee was presented with a fire extinguisher – what better way to reinforce the safety message, not jus within the confines of the plant, but in the domestic settings as well.

In 2001 and 2002, the plant ran slogan and poster competitions, participation open to employees and their families. Winning entries were visibly displayed in every part of the plant, a constant reminder to one and all on the important message.

With so many accomplishments in such a short time, the impetus is now applied towards reducing minor-injury accidents, and reporting and investigating “near misses” – accidents that almost occurred but were avoided. Priority also shifts to the completion and implementation of a Safety Manual, and communications initiatives that focus on safety, including the organization of Open Days for employees and their families.

Extreme left: One of the posters prominently displayed in Mombasa Plant’s ground. Safety permeates every aspect of the plant’s operations.

Left: Mombasa Plant employees receive guidelines on the Near Miss procedure introduced recently.

Bamburi at a glance