Thursday, September 25, 2008 Cement firm launches new brand
THE high cost of fuel has prompted a cement manufacturing company to manage its resources and invest on a new energy-efficient product that will translate into huge savings for them and for the consumers.
Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc. (TCPI) will formally launch today, Grand Premium, an alternative of Portland cement.
According to TCPI officials, the new product is a specially-formulated blend of prime quality Portland cement with Philippine Tuff, resulting in a long-term compressive strength.
Having surpassed both the American and Philippine standard requirements for Portland cement, Grand Premium can be used for the construction of structural concrete, mass concrete structures, culverts, water pipes, blocks, pre-fabricated elements, concrete hollow block, plastering, finishing and concrete hollow block filling.
Since Grand Premium is composed of only about 70 to 75 percent clinker compared to the 95 percent clinker in Portland, its production will consume lesser energy and emit lesser carbon dioxide, they said.
“At the same time, we are contributing to environmental sustainability and helping address global warming through producing an energy-saving and cheaper product while maintaining its quality,” said Toshio Komatsu, TCPI president and chief operating officer.
TCPI gets coal from a local source and also imports some from Indonesia, which increased its prices from $80 a ton last year to $115 a ton this year.
Toshiyuki Nono, TCPI first vice-president of finance, said that their sales only increased a “little” while their profits were “down” in the first half of the year against the same period last year.
Prices
“While we have increased the prices of our products (Portland and Pozzolan) to cope with the energy cost, we also have to look at how we can manage and invest our resources. Grand Premium is one way,” Komatsu said.
After testing the product in the market last August and receiving positive response, TCPI introduced Grand Premium to dealers and retailers starting September.
Since then, TCPI senior marketing manager George Uy said that sales of Grand Premium have been replacing a percentage of the sales volume of Portland cement. He said that Grand Premium is about P5 cheaper per 40-kilogram bag than the Portland brand.
Production
He added that depending on the market demand, TCPI may make a gradual slow production of Portland and increase the production of Grand Premium.
However, TCPI senior manager for the civil department and engineering division Rolando Buhisan pointed out that it would be impossible to phase out Portland cement because it is a type of cement a builder can readily enhance to serve his purpose like saving on construction time.
“It takes time for the government to shift to new products, like Grand Premium, probably because they have to use the products specified in their plans. However, we believe that Grand Premium will be received well by the Cebuanos who are smart buyers,” said Uy. (NRC)
