UCC denies sealing deal with Algeria  

RAS AL KHAIMAH — The Union Cement Company (UCC) denied reports carried by some local newspapers yesterday that it had sealed a $200 million deal with the Algerian government to set up a cement factory in the North African country.


"The plan is still under study and we have not reached a final agreement with the Algerian authorities in this regard," said Abdullah Mohammed Saeed Al Syyah, Deputy Chairman of the UCC Board of Directors, in a statement.

Al Syyah thanked the Algerian authorities for their warm response to the plan. "They were very enthusiastic and promised to extend all kinds of support to the new project, but I want to stress here that no final agreement has been reached and the whole issue is under discussion," he said.

Media reports said that the new factory would be set up to meet the rising demand for cement in the Algerian market.

UCC was founded in 1972 as a joint venture between the governments of RAK and Abu Dhabi. The UCC has been awarded the ISO 9000 and 14,000 certifications.

The company has recently struck a Dh 500 million deal with the China Building Material Equipment Corporation (CBMEC) for setting up a new clinkerisation facility on the UCC premises in Khor Khuwair.