SOMEVAM, a subsidiary of the Tunisian Sebri Group with interests in agriculture, food processing and quarrying, has announced plans for a significant investment in the development of its second CDE wet processing solution for the production of high-specification silica sand products
With authorisation from the Central Bank of Tunisia, funding for this investment was secured with the support of UK Export Finance, AF Capital and Apple Bank. Sebri Group will work with its wet processing partner, CDE, to design and engineer the new plant which will be located at SOMEVAM’s quarry in Oueslatia, Tunisia.
After operating sand quarries in Oueslatia for the last two decades, Sebri Group’s management team identified an opportunity to further diversify the business by expanding into the glass sands market and in 2019 commissioned its first CDE solution at the site.
The silica sand wash plant has the capacity to treat up to 200tph of sand, producing 100tph of silica glass sand for the glass industry, as well as a range of secondary products including fine silica sand for silica flour production, foundry sand, concrete sand and road base.
Investment in a second silica sand wash plant comes as SOMEVAM records significant interest in its future production output. The plant will produce silica sand, which has applications in paints, coatings and inks, adhesives and sealants, pharmaceuticals, lighting and more as well as silica for flat glass applications such as windows, mirrors and flat glazing.
Bassem Idriss, senior project manager at CDE, commented, "We’re very pleased to once again partner with Sebri Group on this exciting project announcement that will significantly expand SOMEVAM’s silica sand processing and production capacity. Its previous investment in CDE technology exemplifies our commitment to engineering excellence and is one of the most advanced plants of its kind."
“Sebri Group recognises that a superior product to meet the demands of the market requires an equally superior processing solution and as such this investment will complement the existing CDE solution in Oueslatia to further strengthen its position and capitalise on growth opportunities in the glass sands market,” Idriss added.
Habib Sebri, owner and chairman of Sebri Group, said, “Following a hugely successful venture into the glass sand industry with our first CDE plant, we sought an additional plant to meet the growing demand for our products. We are excited to partner with CDE once again on this new project to maintain the quality and consistency of our offering, and we thank all of those partners who helped secure funding and provided their expertise and resources to help make this ambitious project a reality.”
The glass industry accounts for more than a third of the total market for silica sand based on end-use, and market analysis projects a growth rate of 7.12% in the silica market over the forecast period 2019–2026, reaching US$3bn by 2026.
For more information about CDE and its wet processing technologies, visit CDEGlobal.com.
