The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) yesterday formally gave approval to Dangote Cement Plc to commence the rolling out of  42.5 higher grade of cement into the Nigerian market.

The agency said it had inspected the company’s manufacturing facilities across the country and found the processes to have been upgraded to efficiently  produce the 42.5 cement grade, which provides higher strength in building and construction.

SON made this declaration during Dangote's pre-media launch of its newly-introduced 42.5 cement grade, Dangote 3X cement, in Lagos, stressing that the indigenous cement manufacturer had been given full certification by the standards agency to produce the high quality cement.

The SON Director General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, who was represented by an enforcement official of the agency, Mr. Adeoye Onipede, commended the move by Dangote to increase its value proposition to Nigerians with the new product and urged the company to keep abiding by the strictest manufacturing standards.

The Group Managing Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, who presented samples of the new product at the event said the launch by Dangote was to show the company's commitment to the safety of human lives rather than maximising profits alone in the country, maintaining that incidences of building collapses in the country do not only destroy lives and properties, but also bring about huge economic losses to the nation.

Edwin said most of the building collapses in the nation were caused by varied factors among which poor quality cement is significant, pointing out that the lifetime investment by Dangote was to further demonstrate the company's effort to guard against unfortunate incidents of failure of buildings and the attendant loss of lives and property.

He said to contribute its quota towards checking the spate of building collapse in the country, "Dangote has stopped the production of the 32.5 lower cement grade," saying as a corporate organisation, it values human lives rather than just making money.

According to him, "This is why we are focusing heavily on 42.5 cement grade, because we believe as a responsible organisation, human life is more precious than making profits. The introduction of Dangote 42.5, 3X cement, is not to dominate the cement industry but to follow the acceptable global trend, which has also been adopted by West African countries like Ghana, where the focus is shifting towards the 42.5 cement grade as the preferred quality of cement for building and construction activities."

Describing the features of the Dangote 3X 42.5 cement and the differences between the 32.5 and 42.5 cement grade, the Group Chief Marketing Officer, Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Oare Ojeikere, stated that the 42.5 cement grade is 30 per cent stronger than the 32.5 cement grade, adding that the 3X is specifically designed according to the block maker's specification.

He said a higher grade of cement is vital in putting an end to building collapse in the country, adding that it is about time Nigeria joined other countries in the sub-region to move away from 32.5 cement grade to 42.5 cement grade.

According to him, the 3X, which stands for "Xtra strength; 'Xtra life and Xtra yield" is the brand name for the Dangote 42.5 cement grade now sold in 50 kilogramme bags across  the country.
He stressed that because of 3X's higher strength characteristics, 42.5 grade cement gives higher yield than 32.5 to users in situations where strength is not a crucial factor.

The Honorary Adviser to the President, Dangote Group, Mr. Joseph Makoju, said in 2002 local production of cement in the country was less than 2 million tonnes, noting that with the efforts of Dangote cement and other cement producers in the country, the cement industry has come to stay.

Association of Housing Corporation of Nigeria, Mr. Toye Eniola, said there had been issues bothering on building collapse in the country, leading to loss of lives and destruction of buildings, stressing that with the introduction of 3X, the association will collaborate with Dangote to ensure that the product gets the necessary support and patronage it deserves to put an end to the spate of building collapse in the country

The president, Brick Moulders Association, Mr. Abel Kayode, said brick moulders were very excited about the introduction of the 3X and said the association would recommend the product to it's over 3 members.
"We have been looking for a product like 3X and we believe this cement will help us carry out activities in the most efficient and affordable manner," he said.

Source: Thisday