Ethiopian Review

Abyssinia Cement Factory, a private establishment in Chancho area, was last week given the go ahead by the Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia (QSAE) to restart manufacturing and marketing its cement products.

Laboratory results from sample examinations of Abyssinia’s products have shown that they are up to standard, so the QSAE lifted the about 49-day long temporary suspension of the factory last Wednesday, May 13, 2009.

The QSAE had temporarily suspended Abyssinia from operations on March 27, 2009, following an alleged quality problem – the authority had alleged that the cement produced by Abyssinia did not fulfil some requirements in the production of cement.

At the time the allegation was levelled at the factory, its owners had argued that the six bags of expired cement in the market, allegedly a brand from their factory, had not been produced by them; they had suggested that other traders night have faked Abyssinia’s brand name.

Though the core reason for the authority taking action was not officially disclosed at that time of enforcing the suspension, QASE’s letter that announced the lift of the suspension indicates that based on the results on sample tests in the current year, Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) products from Abyssinia Cement Factory had been found to meet Ethiopia’s standards in terms of comprehensive strength and insoluble residue.

Though delighted with the good news contained in QASE’s letter addressed to them, dated May 13, 2009, and signed by Deressa Fufa, director for Quality Certification, owners of Abyssinia Cement Plc, said that their company’s credibility, image and goodwill has suffered a serious blow due to the suspension that they need to work hard and invest a lot of money to regain them.

“Before the suspension our market was quite excellent,” Rajesh Gupta, general manager of the factory told Fortune. “To reverse the possible impacts and to reclaim our market presence, the factory is preparing to officially announce the good news.”

On March 28, 2009, QSAE addressed a letter to Abyssinia requesting them to bring a sample of their products for investigation and examination and suspended the factory till the alleged slip up was solved. Accordingly, based on an investigation of sample products that had been taken in the second quarter of the current year with the knowledge of the management, the factory had also received a warning to examine its production process and recheck it as slight defects had been found. Going through chemical testing and all the processes required was meant to protect both the public and owners of the company.

“The laboratory results show that the factory’s products meet the required quality standards,” reads a letter Sisay Asefe, Public Relations and Education Service head with the authority sent to Fortune. At the moment, the factory has made the required adjustments, reads the letter that endorses Abyssinia to restart manufacturing and distribution.

Abyssinia Cement Plc, which specializes in producing OPC, was established on 70hct of land in Chancho Woreda of North Shoa Zone with an outlay of over 60 million Br in October 2007. The factory has the capacity to produce 45,000tn of cement annually.

- By MERGA YONAS | Addis Fortune