Scarcity of Roofing Sheets : SOCATRAL Blames Uneven Distribution

Officials said they are working toward increasing annual production to 30,000 tonnes by 2012. , a branch of ALUCAM Company, specialised in the processing of aluminium into semi-finished corrugated roofing sheets, has blamed the scarcity that has hit the sector of late to imbalance in the location of distributors within the national territory. Meeting in Yaounde on Friday October 2, 2009 in their annual meeting, officials said most of the distributors who process the semi-finished aluminium from

SOCATRAL into consumable corrugated roofing sheets are mostly based in Douala. According to SOCATRAL??s Commercial Manager, Pierre-Lumiere Tiefang, the uneven geographic location of the distributors leaves high-demand areas like Yaounde and other parts of the country almost always wanting in supply. Coupled with the uneven distribution across the national territory, SOCATRAL??s Director Emile Ngvena said the scarcity was also not unconnected with the fact that the company slowed production in August to install new and more efficient equipment in their endeavour to boost production. ??The new equipment were well installed and I hope in the days ahead, the market will be inundated with corrugated roofing sheets??, he said. Amidst growing demand of the product within and without the country, SOCATRAL officials said they have an investment plan since four years which seeks to bring annual production to 30,000 tonnes by 2012. ??This year, we have pumped in about FCFA one billion to revamp production??, the Commercial Manager said. Attaining annual production of 30,000 tonnes by 2012, he said, is feasible given that since 2006 they have been having an annual increase of 1,200 tonnes. This progressive production notwithstanding, SOCATRAL officials said they have little or no influence on distribution since it is done by middlemen that respect the market trends of selling where demand is highest. The scarcity of the roofing sheets forced government to intensify control measures to ensure that unscrupulous businessmen do not hoard the product to feed fat on customers and that the few sheets in warehouses were distributed equitably to the various sales points. Friday??s meeting between SOCATRAL and its customers (Processors) was to assess the path covered and to map out new areas of collaboration in what they said was their collective responsibility to provide the product to Cameroonians.Godlove BAINKONG, CT

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