LEADING building solutions provider, Holcim Philippines Inc., is investing P1.5 billion to expand its plant in Davao City in a bid to increase its production capacity to 2.2 million metric tons per year from its current 1.4 million tons.

"This project is part of a wider program we had embarked on as Holcim Philippines to increase our cement capacity and production capacity nationwide," said Holcim Philippines President and CEO Sapna Sood during the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday at their plant in Panacan, Davao City.

Holcim Philippines-Davao plant manager Xavier Kennedy, for his part, said their expansion, dubbed as the Kalayaan Project, will have two components -- the mechanize ship unloading and loading facility and the other is the increasing the capacity of the grinding facility.

The Kalayaan project is targeted to be completed by 2019 to support the government's infrastructure program, Build, Build, Build.

"Holcim Philippines firmly believes in the government's commitment on infrastructure growth that would spur the economy and improve the lives of the people. The government needs support to make that happen and that is where we come in," Sood said.

She added, "Our decision to bring this program in Davao reflects the government's effort to make available the resources to developing Mindanao."

Holcim Philippines said in a statement that the Davao expansion is part of the company’s P2.7 billion investment to raise its nationwide cement production to 12 million metric tons from the present 10 million metric tons.

"The increased capacity allows Holcim Philippines to continue supporting the country’s development as the government ramps up infrastructure spending up to 7 percent of GDP by 2022," the company said.