Tanga Cement's history and achievements can be summarized as below:

1970: National Development Corporation of Tanzania assigned the job of preparation of feasibility report for setting up a cement plant in Tanzania to French firm – Messrs Fives Lille-Cail

Financing:

• The total project fund was *US$115.76M (Tzs830m), out of which *US$75.03m (Tzs538m) foreign and Tzs292m (*US$40.73) local currency
• Plant and equipment cost – loan from the Government of Denmark
• Plant civil work – grant from the Royal Dutch Government
• Remaining tasks – Treasure Development Fund, Loan from Tanzania Investment Bank and self generated funds
  

1978: Construction of the Tanga Cement plant started

Contractors involved:

• Messrs F L Smidth & Company – design, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning.
• Messrs Demoor Construction Company – off loading, clearing and transportation of machinery from Tanga port to the plant site.
• Messrs Ballast OC C of Holland (now known as TANCON) – Civil works
• Messrs MECCO – Housing complex, access roads and rail way siding
• Messrs MONJI RAMJI & Company – Construction of houses and communityfacilities in the township
• Messrs MOWLEM Construction Company – Drilling soild for investigation
• Messrs DEWETO International (Commissioned by FLS as sub-contracctor)
• Erection of Machinery and equipment
  

1980: The Tanga Cement Company Plant was commissioned.

• Capacity – 500 000tons/annum
• Production - 1600 tonnes per day
• Packing capacity - 200 tonnes/hour
• 22 November at 09h30 – The first simba cement bag was produced
• 12 December 1980 – The first Dispatch of Cement from the Plant
• 1st Export of 700tons to Karachi, Pakistan
  
  Inputs for operation
  
  
• 160tonnes of Fuel Oil
• 600kg of Explosive
• 33 000 Paper bags for packaging
• 80 tonnes of Gypsum
• 2 500 tonnes fo red soil
• 800m3 of Water for the plant and township
  
  

1981: The Plant was officially inaugurated by H.E The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, the late J. K. Nyerere

1989: Holderbank signs Management contract

1996: Privatization:

• 60% Holcim (previous Holderbank)
• 40% Government of United Republic of Tanzania
• 2001 ISO 9002 – 2008 Quality Management System
• 2002 Public Company IPO with:
• 62.5% Holcim Mauritius
• 32.5% Publicly Traded Shares
• 5% with Employees
  

2004: ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System

2007: Installation and Commissioning of Coal Mill

• Presidential Environmental Award
  

2009: Award for Best Presented Financial Accounts

2009 - 10: Company ownership is as follows

• 62.5% Afrisam Mauritius
• 36.25% Tanzania General Public & Institutions
• 0.75% Employees Share Trust
• Production capacity increased from 750,000tonnes/yr to more than 1,250,000tonnes to address market demand
  

2010 to date - Innauguration of Cement Mill II and a Packing Plant

Capacity – more than 1.25m tonnes/yr

• Cement Production – 3000tonnes/day
• Packing capacity - 3600tonnes/day
• Export to Rwanda and Burundi on going and Ytd is 40 000tonnes
  Inputs for operation
• Coal - 235tonnes/day
• Fuel Oil - 5tonnes/day
• Explosive - 600kg/day
• Bags for packaging - 60 000pcs/day
• Gypsum - 160tonnes/day
• Red soil - 270tonnes/day
• Water - 1100m3/day
  
  

With 15000 Tanzanian being the shareholders, Tanga Cement shares trade under its brand name, Simba, at the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange.

*Exchange rate in 1970: 1$ = Tzs7.17 – source BOT