TCL was incorporated in Trinidad in 1951 and commenced production in 1954. Our primary activity is the manufacture and sale of TCL Premium Portland Pozzolan Cement, Ordinary Portland Cement as well as Class G, High Sulphate Resistant (HSR) Oilwell Cement.
Serving the Caribbean region for close to 60 years, TCL prides itself in being 100% indigenous to the Caribbean region and is committed to proving the resilence of its brand. The company offers an unsurpassed level of customer service driven by the premise,"Our Customers...Our Future"
Environmental Policy
Click Here to View the TCL Environmental Policy
Click here to view the Environmental Technology at Trinidad Cement Ltd.pdf file (16MB)
Click here to view the Environmental Technology at Trinidad Cement Ltd.pdf (16MB)
Equity Structure
Until it was effectively privatised in 1990, TCL was wholly owned by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GOTT). The GOTT in 1994 divested 20% equity in TCL to Cemex S.A. De C.V. to facilitate the establishment of a strategic alliance. Presently, the Company‘s ordinary shareholding is widely distributed among approximately 6,000 shareholders with Cemex being the single largest shareholder in TCL. In 1999, the GOTT completed its divestment of its shareholding to the National Insurance Board, the Trinidad and Tobago Unit Trust Corporation and the TCL Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP). Currently, TCL has 250 million shares.
Raw Materials
Limestone is the primary raw material used in cement production and accounts for 95% of the finished product. TCL owns approximately 120 hectares of limestone reserves which, based on current annual extraction rates, are confirmed to last more than one hundred years. The other raw material used is gypsum which accounts for the remaining 5% content and is readily available.
Limestone
Limestone rocks are sedimentary rocks that are made from the mineral calcite, which came from the beds of evaporated seas and lakes and sea animal shells. Typically up to 5% limestone is used.
Gypsum
One of the more common minerals in sedimentary environments. It is a major rock forming mineral that produces massive beds, usually from precipitation out of highly saline waters. Since it forms easily from saline water, gypsum can have many inclusions of other minerals and even trapped bubbles of air and water. To achieve the desired setting qualities in the finished product, a quantity of 2-8%, but typically 5% of gypsum is added to the clinker and the mixture is finely ground to form the finished cement powder.
Pozzolan
A variety of volcanic sand with burnt granules resembling powdered brick: it is a siliceous or siliceous and aluminous material which, when mixed with hydraulic limes and water, becomes a cement-like compound capable of setting under water. The cement-pozzolan mixture can comprise as little as 5% and as much as 50% by weight of pozzolan.
Slurry
Generally,a mixture of water and cement to form concrete as part of the wet-process cement raw mix. Slurry is usually used in the moisture content in the range 25-45% by mass
TCL Historical Timeline
| 1949 | The Rugby Portland Cement Company Limited of the United Kingdom was invited by the Government, at the insistence of the Commonwealth Development Corporation, to consider establishing Cement Works in Trinidad. After a detailed technical investigation of the availability of raw materials, the works was planned and plant and machinery designed. |
| 1951 | Government enacted the Cement Industry (Development) Ordinance, to provide for establishment of a local Cement Industry. |
| 1952 | Construction started on the site in Claxton Bay early in 1952. |
| 1954 | Production by Trinidad Cement Limited, a subsidiary of the Rugby Portland Cement Company Limited began in June 1954. To help set TCL on its feet, the Rugby Portland Cement Company handed over to TCL, all of its export Markets in the Caribbean area. Production - 140,000 tons/yr. |
| 1958 | Production Capacity increased to 180,000 tons/yr. |
| 1968 | Production Capacity increased to 250,000 tons/yr. |
| 1971 | Marine Terminal at Claxton Bay was built. Dredging of a deep-water channel was completed and erection of specialised equipment to load cement quickly onto ships for the export markets. |
| 1976 | The Company was purchased by the Government, the handover date being midnight 31st July. |
| 1984 | Completion of major plant organisation from Quarrying and Slurry manufacture at Mayo to clinker manufacture and grinding and cement storage, packaging and distribution at Claxton Bay. |
| 1989 | Government divests its Shareholding in Trinidad Cement Limited. |
| 1994 | Sale of Government‘s block of shares representing 20% interest sold to Cemex S.A. of Mexico (world‘s 3rd largest cement producer).
ACCL sold to TCL |
| 1996 | Commissioning of new modern kiln replacing two older inefficient kilns.
TCL acquires controlling interest in RML |
| 1998 | Government divests remainder of Shareholding in TCL |
| 1999 | Record Production of Clinker 690,378 tons and purchase of majority shareholding in Caribbean Cement Company Limited, Jamaica. |
| 2000 | TCL Group Revenues for the year exceeded TT$1.0B for the first time in TCL’s history. Anti-dumping complaints were initiated in both Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica for unfair trade practices of Asian cement. Economic Value Added (EVA) model is implemented as a key management tool at TCL. |
| 2001 | Upgrade of TCL’s Packing Plants to fully automated machines complete with palletizer and stretchwrap systems. Group Wide Area Network was implemented across the TCL Group with e-mail and internet rules being managed by the TCL Claxton Bay location. Anti-dumping action against unfair trading practices of imported cement in Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica was pursued. |
| 2002 | Unsuccessful takeover bid launched by Cemex S.A. de C.V. – TCL’s largest single shareholder. Deactivation of TCL Holdings Limited. Board of Trinidad Cement Limited to function as the Parent Board. Retirement of Chairman-Mr Andy Bhajan. TCL Group records highest ever net profits at $122.2M |
| 2003 | Mr David Dulal-Whiteway, appointed Chairman, Trinidad Cement Limited. |
| 2004 | Commencement of TCL Capacity Upgrade Project. Sod Turning Ceremony of TCL Guyana Inc. TCL celebrates its 50th anniversary of commencement of operations |
| 2005 | Mr David Dulal-Whiteway resigned as Chairman, Trinidad Cement Limited and Mr Andy J. Bhajan was re-appointed Director and Chairman of the TCL Board of Directors in October 2005. |
| 2006 | TCL received ISO 14001:2004 Certification. |
| 2007 | The introduction of TCL Premium Cement to the market. TCL Guyana Inc. is officially opened June 13th 2007 |
| 2009 | TCL introduces TCL Premium Plus - this portalnd pozzolan cement enables the company to reduce its carbon footprint by as much as 20%. TCL Inducted into Prime Minister's Exporter of the Year Hall of Fame. |
| 2010 | TCL Named Champion Employer of the Year by the Employers' Consultative Association (ECA). |
| 2012 | Industrial Strike at TCL |