The long-closed Hetauda Cement Industry is set to resume production from the third week of Chaitra.
According to the acting general manager of Hetauda Cement Industry, Engineer Navin Kumar Karn, production will restart as the machinery repairs have been completed, the necessary raw materials have been ensured, and employees have agreed to return to work.
“The industry’s machines are old and damaged, which took some time to repair,” said Karn. “These machines were installed at the time of establishment, and they actually need to be replaced with new ones. However, due to financial constraints, replacing them immediately is not feasible, so we opted for repairs instead.”
With these repairs, cement production can resume immediately. Karn mentioned that the industry has some raw materials in stock and has secured additional supplies.
“Right now, we have about 100 tons of coal,” he said. “More coal is expected to arrive starting tomorrow, so raw material shortages won’t be a major issue.” The company supplying coal has agreed to continue deliveries despite previous outstanding payments.
He also assured that power supply issues would be resolved. “The industry requires a steady power supply, and discussions with the Nepal Electricity Authority have been held,” he said. “The authority has committed to providing uninterrupted electricity, so power shortages should no longer be a problem.”
The industry had halted cement production on Ashoj 15 (early October) for machinery repairs. Employees have not received their salaries for the past three months due to the shutdown.
Established in 2033 BS (1976 AD) in Lamsure, Hetauda, the industry began cement production in 2043 BS (1986 AD). However, financial difficulties and other challenges led to its closure multiple times.
After overcoming various challenges, the industry had resumed cement production in the third week of Bhadra 2081 BS (September 2024 AD), but it was shut down again on Ashoj 15 for further machine repairs. Despite having a daily production capacity of 16,000 bags of cement, financial issues have significantly weakened the industry.
