In far away November 2010, leading cement conglomerate and construction solutions provider, Lafarge WAPCO and now Lafarge Africa ushered in a strategic innovation to the nation’s building industry with the launch of a new product called Elephant Supaset Cement.
According to the company, “Elephant Supaset Cement is a Portland cement specifically formulated as fast setting cement that meets the requirements of the Block making and Precast segment of the Construction Industry with unique characteristics”.
Lafarge Africa averred that the new product which has passed through extensive field tests with strong support of Lafarge‘s Group Technical Centre, has also been approved by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
Annoucing the Launch in Lekki, Lagos State, the then Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lafarge WAPCO, Mr. Samy Abdelkader said, ‘’Supaset is the result of profound customer research which will satisfy the yarnings of the need for a specialised cement for block makers and precast segment of the industry. It is also a testimony to our commitments to Innovation and leadership in the Nigerian cement market.”
Continuing, he said, ‘’Elephant Supaset combines three key value propositions of Early Setting, Early Strength and the unique Latter Strength which is a distinguished quality which our brand, Elephant Cement, has been known over the years.”
Between 2010 and just recently, industry observers say the launch of Elephant Supaset Cement makes Lafarge WAPCO the only cement company with two unique brands : Elephant Cement, a general purpose cement which marks 50 years of existence and the new product, Supaset Cement, specifically formulated for Block making and Precast segment.
However, eight years after, leading African indigenous cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement has blazed the trail as it unveiled its equivalent fast setting brand of cement called BlocMaster Cement into the Nigerian market.
Business Hilights gathered that Dangote’s desire to further enhance cement production in the country, especially in the areas of block molding and not necessarily market competition that encouraged the management to research deeply and came out with new cement variant, called BlocMaster.
BlocMaster according to the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Engr. Joseph Makoju is the final answer to the yearnings and expectations of Block and concrete makers who desire a new product that could combine all the qualities of the existing range of cements in the market. He explained that BlocMaster is a product of intensive research, laboratory and field tests and regulatory authorities’ approval. According to him, the new cement comes with a difference and value for money.
Continuing, Makoju stated that all stakeholders involved in the value chain of cement were part of the research and the eventual formulation of the BlocMaster saying “all stakeholders were involved; block makers, the regulatory agencies and the customers alike. We took samples to them to test before we finally concluded on the product.
“We identify an opportunity and a gap that has to be filled and we went ahead to design and formulate the BlocMaster. In addition, we are giving the product out at the best price that gives the best quality.
Explaining qualities of the new product, the Dangote Cement Group Chief Marketing Officer, Oare Ojeikere said Dangote BlocMaster is a premium high strength Portland limestone cement that gives users up to 50mpa in compressive strength after 28 days. He pointed out that the product is Ideal for concrete applications that require very high final strength and durability. “BlocMaster has been tested, and proven, to provide the best performance for all concrete applications that require rapid early strength, higher final compressive strength, and fast setting. It outperforms all other bagged cement products in Nigeria, and it is the cement of choice for all major construction projects”, he added.
Oare stated that Dangote Cement is made in Nigeria but loved across Africa because of its high quality.
