The Cement & Concrete SA Western Cape Branch hosted a plant tour at the PPC De Hoek Cement Plant near Piketberg, one of the oldest in South Africa, turning 100 in July 2022.

A tour of the plant’s quarries and facilities was given, with various plant personnel discussing the cement manufacturing process: from extracting the raw materials in the earth to packaging and quality control of the final cement product. This was followed by an interesting table discussion, where various aspects, from the importance of quality control and cement testing to the need for further research into concrete production and reducing CO₂ emissions, were discussed. A big thank you to PCC and their staff at De Hoek for hosting the Western Cape Committee and sparing their time to show us around their impressive plant.