A regional investment movement in the Syrian cement sector to revive the "Al-Muslimiya" and "Adra" factories

The General Manager of the General Company for the Manufacture and Marketing of Cement and Building Materials "Omran", Eng. Mahmoud Fadhila, revealed that more than 10 regional and international companies have applied to compete for the investment opportunities offered to rehabilitate and operate the "Al-Muslimiya" factories located in Aleppo Governorate and "Adra" in the Damascus countryside.

Fadhila explained in a statement to SANA that the company's technical committees have already started the processes of studying the integrated proposals, expecting the completion of their technical and financial evaluation and the final selection of investment partners within a period not exceeding 30 days from now.

Investor Alliances

The General Manager of Omran Company indicated that the list of companies advanced with their strategic desires includes alliances and investors from Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to a local consortium that includes a private national company in partnership with a Czech company specialized in production lines.

Fadhila pointed out that the criteria adopted in the selection of partners are entirely based on high technical competence, long experience in the cement system, solid financial solvency, and commitment to environmental requirements and international standards for occupational and social safety, away from any regional or political considerations and within the principle of absolute integrity to ensure the selection of the ideal partner for the national economy.

Participatory Policy

 Fadila stressed that the success of the previous partnership experiences and the actual operation of the Hama Cement Plant 3, the Tartous Cement Plant, and the Rastan and Al-Arabiya facilities contributed substantially to enhancing the confidence of the foreign investment community and improving the business environment in this vital sector.

He pointed out that the company has adopted a clear policy from an early date based on the formulation of flexible partnership contracts with the private sector to make the most of assets and production lines that have been dormant or stopped working for decades, and to re-inject capital and modern technology into them to support the structure of the economy and expand the base of industrial production.

Fadhila pointed out that the current year 2026 witnessed the actual beginning of reaping the fruits of this long-term investment policy, as evidenced by the flow of specialized international expertise and the localization of modern technology, in addition to the remarkable development of the skills and level of national technical cadres.

He added that these steps have resulted in a significant improvement in the quality of cement products and the introduction of new items that are compatible with the requirements of modern construction, in addition to their direct positive reflection on improving organizational structures, wages and salaries for workers, and raising the levels of operational efficiency and general productivity of the facilities.

Cement Map in Syria

The cement industry in Syria is one of the strategic pillars on which the local economy depends, especially as the country stands on the threshold of the stage of paving the way for comprehensive structural reconstruction, and  this industry is facing a radical transformation in its organizational and productive structure through the transition from purely government management to a participatory model with the private sector and regional investments.

The most prominent cement factories in the country, according to the data of the General Cement Corporation and "Omran",  are:

Adra Area (Damascus Countryside): Located in the industrial perimeter of the capital, it is a major feeder for the southern region.

Hama Governorate (Central Region): It includes the largest complex (such as Hama Cement Factory 3), and is characterized by its proximity to the logistics transport lines that connect the north and south of the country.

Tartous Governorate (Syrian Coast): Tartous Cement Factory is characterized by its strategic maritime location, which makes it ready for the grinding of materials and facilitating export or maritime transportation.

Al-Muslimiya Area (Aleppo-North): One of the oldest and most affected laboratories by the previous field conditions, it is currently undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation plans.

Other factories: such as the "Rastan" factory in Homs, and the "Al-Arabiya" factory, some of which have entered the operation and experimental production plans.

Production Capacity

The current gap between the actual capacity of the laboratories and the country's future needs is illustrated by the following numerical indicators:

Current production: Actual domestic production is approximately 10,000 tonnes per day (equivalent to about 3 to 3.5 million tonnes per year), with domestic production covering only about 50% of the current market need, and the remaining gap is covered by importing similar quantities from neighbouring and regional markets (e.g. Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt).

Official studies estimate that Syria will need between 8 and 9 million tons per year once it actually enters the reconstruction phase, reaching a cumulative consumption of approximately 60 million tons over the next decade.

Existing plants are currently operating at only about 60% of their design capacity due to aging machines (some dating back to the 1950s and using the wet method) and a lack of spare parts.