Qatar-based Alkhalij Cement Company is planning to boost its output by setting up a new production line at an investment of nearly QR800 million ($218 million), said a report.

A unit of Qatari Investors Group, Alkhalij Cement aims to increase its cement output by 50 per cent and also double clinker production,  reported The Gulf Times, citing a senior official.

The new line is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2016, stated Firas Tayssir Ibrahim, chief administration officer of Qatari Investors Group.

The unprecedented growth in Qatar’s construction provides a key impetus to all companies to boost efforts in improving their products and services to meet this growth, said Ibrahim.

Alkhalij Cement Company chief operations officer Jose Escalera said the company's move to boost production is mainly to cope with the increasing market demands.

"While the production of clinker will reach around two million tonnes and cement around three million tonnes by the end of the year, our projections show that in 2016 and when our new line is operational, we will need to produce close to four million tonnes of clinker and 4.5 million tonnes of cement,” he added.