Swiss ambassador visits LafargeHolcim’s Surma Plant

Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard recently visited the Surma Plant of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Ltd (LHBL) at Chhatak in Sunamganj. 

Rajesh Surana, Chief Executive Officer of LHBL along with other executive committee members and senior officials welcomed her at the plant, reads a press release.

Eros Robbiani, Counsellor and Head of Political, Economic & Cultural Affairs of the Embassy of Switzerland, accompanied the ambassador to the visit.

The ambassador visited different sites including Aggregates, Geocycle, clinkerization, manufacturing process and facilities of the country's only integrated cement plant which is an iconic symbol of friendship between Bangladesh and India connected by an overhead conveyor belt. 

She also delivered a speech in the town hall. 

Rajesh Surana, CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, said "we have remained focused on introducing innovative and sustainable building solutions for our customers in Bangladesh that shall continue playing an important role in developing the construction industry as whole. The company is also helping the government in saving a significant amount of foreign currencies by producing clinker and aggregates locally which are import substitution."     

Ambassador Chuard said, "In the last 50 years Switzerland and Bangladesh have built a solid partnership, ranging from humanitarian aid and international cooperation to increasing trade and economic relations. LafargeHolcim Bangladesh is one of the key Swiss companies operating in Bangladesh with highest foreign direct investment in the construction sector. Foreign direct investment is crucial, also to bring Bangladesh to its next step of development, and I am glad to see the sustainable community development and innovation initiatives taken by the company. I wish success to LHB on its journey."

Later she took part in an ongoing tree plantation program of the company.