THE ECHO - Ferrostaal

MAN Ferrostaal and its partners are extending and modernizing
the existing cocoa production facility of the Cocoa Processing
Company Ltd. (CPC) in Tema in southern Ghana. The process will
be completed in a number of different phases. CPC is one of the
leading companies in the region and the market leader in cocoa
processing in Ghana. The company’s product portfolio includes
cocoa mass, cocoa butter, chocolate and cocoa drinks. Up to 95%
of its products are sold in the USA, Europe and Asia. Five percent
are sold on the domestic market.
The first phase of the project involved the construction of a new
plant for the production of cocoa mass. The production line was
officially opened in November 2005. The ceremony was attended
by the Ghanaian president, John Agyekum Kufuor. This means
that the Cocoa Processing Company Ltd. now boasts one of the
largest and most modern facilities of its kind in Ghana. The new
production line is extremely efficient, and will allow 24,900 tons
of top-quality cocoa mass (cocoa liquor) to be produced annually
from 30,000 tons of cocoa beans.
In the second phase, which is already underway, the existing
facility will be completely renovated and equipped with new
machinery to further boost the production of cocoa butter and
cocoa powder. The company aims to increase its total annual
output from 25,000 to 65,000 tons once this second phase has
been completed. Two cocoa butter presses have already been
installed and the machinery and equipment required to
renovate the existing facility are already on site. Commissioning
of the facility is scheduled for August 2006.
NO. 1 ASSET
Cocoa is Ghana’s most important asset and regularly makes up
30 to 40 percent of the country’s total export revenue. 13 percent
of the country’s GDP depends on cocoa beans. Ghana produces
some 20 percent of all cocoa produced worldwide. There are
approximately 1.5 million cocoa farmers in Ghana, mostly working
on family-owned farms. In the 2003/2004 season, approximately
750,000 tons of cocoa beans were harvested. This was a record
harvest in the history of cocoa production in Ghana, which goes
back more than 100 years. Cocoa beans are traded on the soft
commodities market. The price per ton is currently 1.500 US dollars.
Renate Matthes
04
THE ECHO 1/2006 43
services & logistics
01. Street scene in Accra
02. The packaging department at Cocoa Processing Co.
03. Collecting the cocoa mass
Foreground: J.A. Danso, Production Manager at CPC
04. Unloading cocoa beans at CPC
EXTENSION AND RENOVATION OF THE COCOA PROCESSING
COMPANY LTD PLANT IN TEMA, GHANA
Value of contract: 21 million euros
Scope of supply and services provided by MAN Ferrostaal:
>> Modification and renovation of the existing facility
>> Planning and delivery of machinery and equipment for the
production of cocoa mass, including the necessary infrastructure
(such as a water treatment system, emergency
power generating sets and steam and compressed air
networks)
>> Supply of a replacement parts package
>> Supervision of the installation
>> Supervision of commissioning
>> Training
>> Technology partners: Bühler AG (Switzerland), F.B.
Lehmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH (Deutschland), B.V.
Machinefabriek P.M. Duyvis (Netherlands