Bizerte Cement Company Faces Major Crisis
The Bizerte Cement Company is going through a major crisis. Confronted with a decline in revenue, treasury difficulties, and an inability to honor its financial commitments, the company has been forced to temporarily suspend its main activity.
For several months, the company has not produced any clinker due to a lack of petroleum coke, an essential fuel that it can no longer import due to its financial constraints. Its current activity is limited to importing and grinding clinker, as well as unloading petroleum coke ships for the benefit of other companies.
Despite this situation, a few indicators show a slight improvement. In the second quarter of 2025, cement production reached 41,009 tons, a 23.21% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This progress is attributed to the grinding of imported clinker. On the other hand, lime production decreased by 17.25%, reflecting a decline in local market demand.
The local revenue has shown an improvement, rising from 8.02 million dinars in the second quarter of 2024 to 9.72 million dinars in 2025, a 21.11% increase. Meanwhile, the petroleum coke unloading activity, carried out on behalf of third parties, generated revenue of 908,276 dinars thanks to the treatment of seven ships, representing 75,690 tons.
On the financial front, the situation remains worrying. The company's debt has continued to increase: medium-term loans rose from 120.7 million dinars to 121.9 million, and management credits, linked to stock pre-financing, slightly decreased to 26.7 million. These debts will be honored at their maturity, although a renewal is possible.
In the face of this crisis, a restructuring plan is being deployed. It aims to restore the company's financial health and revitalize its activities. The plan includes the gradual resumption of clinker and cement production, cost control, continued clinker imports to maintain a commercial presence, and an effort to stabilize the social climate. A specialized consulting firm will accompany the company in this process.
The coming months will be crucial for Bizerte Cement Company, which hopes to regain a sustainable growth trajectory.
