SHUNTAI Investments (Pvt) Ltd has signed an engineering, procurement and construction agreement with China’s CBMI Construction Co, Ltd for the development of a 6 000-tonne-per-day clinker production line in Zvishavane, NewsDay Business understands.
CBMI is a 60-year-old engineering, procurement and construction turnkey contractor specialising in cement plant projects.
It holds a Class A General Contracting Qualification and is authorised to conduct foreign trade, including imports and exports.
The company is an affiliate of Sinoma International Engineering Co, Ltd, whose parent group is China National Building Material Group (Sinoma Group).
CBMI managing director Zhang Sicai and Shuntai chairperson Xing Mingchang recently signed the agreement in Beijing.
The deal marks a significant expansion of Shuntai Investments’ footprint in Zimbabwe’s cement industry as it moves to scale up production capacity amid rising demand driven by infrastructure development, housing construction, and mining activity.
It also underscores growing Chinese participation in Zimbabwe’s industrial and construction value chains, particularly in large-scale cement manufacturing.
Shuntai, a fast-growing Chinese-backed cement and manufacturing firm in Zimbabwe, has emerged as one of the largest new entrants into Zimbabwe’s cement industry in recent years.
- SA insurer targets Zim after US$2.4 million payouts
- SA insurer targets Zim after US$2.4 million payouts
- SA insurer targets Zim after US$2.4 million payouts
- Insurance key in renewable energy transition
Keep Reading
The company is nearing completion of a US$120 million cement manufacturing plant in Chegutu, which is expected to produce about 800 000 tonnes of cement annually.
The Zvishavane clinker project therefore marks a further expansion of its local footprint and underscores its ambition to establish an integrated cement production network in Zimbabwe, leveraging the country’s limestone deposits and rising construction demand.
“This collaboration fully reflects CBMI Construction’s technical expertise and professional advantages in the cement engineering sector, opening new avenues for the regional company to serve the Zimbabwean and surrounding markets,” CBMI said in a statement.
“Upon completion, the project will effectively boost local clinker and cement supply capacity, providing solid support for Zimbabwe’s infrastructure development and industrial growth.”
Clinker is a key raw material used in cement manufacturing, and increased local production is expected to ease supply bottlenecks that have affected the industry in recent years.
In 2024, Shuntai launched the construction of an 1 800-tonne per day clinker production line as part of its long-term investment plans in Zimbabwe.
Combined with the new Zvishavane project, the investments are expected to lift the company’s total cement production capacity to more than three million tonnes annually, positioning it among the country’s largest cement producers.
Zimbabwe’s cement industry has undergone significant transformation over the past few years, with both local and foreign investors expanding production facilities to meet rising demand.
Growth has been driven largely by government infrastructure projects, road rehabilitation programmes, housing developments, and private sector investments.
According to the company, Zimbabwe remains an attractive investment destination due to its abundant mineral resources and growing infrastructure requirements.
“The investment in this new 6 000-tonne-per-day clinker line project will once again serve as a new benchmark and model for the company’s investments in Zimbabwe,” CBMI said.
It said the project represents one of its most significant cement-sector developments in southern Africa in recent years and would further strengthen its presence in the regional market.
The signing ceremony marked the first collaboration between CBMI and Shuntai.
Both companies plan to explore further opportunities across multiple sectors as they seek to expand their presence in the region.
