Kenya“s Magadi Soda Co., plans to build a new 365,000 metric tonnes/year soda ash plant costing USD 98 million, the company announced 25 May 2004. Construction is expected to start later in 2004, the…
Kenya“s Magadi Soda Co., plans to build a new 365,000 metric tonnes/year soda ash plant costing USD 98 million, the company announced 25 May 2004. Construction is expected to start later in 2004, the company said. The plant, to be based at Lake Magadi, a major alkaline evaporate deposit in Africa“s Great Rift Valley, about 120km south west of Nairobi, is expected to come on stream in mid-2006. Of the USD 98 million required to build the plant, USD 55 million is being provided by International Finance Corp, the European Investment Bank and Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden. A consortium led by Larsen & Toubro ECC Division, Jacobs H&G and Akzo Nobel Engineering has been appointed to design and build the fixed price turnkey project. Overall project management is being provided by Bosch Projects of South Africa. Magadi Soda is part of the Brunner Mond Group of companies, one of the world“s five largest soda ash producers. Magadi Soda Co. currently operates a 350,000 metric tonnes/year soda ash plant at Lake Magadi serving markets in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.