OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT OFFICER

INDUSTRIES, PRICES, WEIGHTS & MEASURES

CHAKWAL
No. DO/IPW&M/CK/256
Dated: 17/05/2021

To,
The Controller Weight & Measure Punjab, Lahore.

Subject: REPORT REGARDING INSPECTION OF BESTWAY CEMENT

FACTORY REGARDING WEIGHT OF CEMENT BAGS

Please refer to subject noted above.

The undersigned visited BCL Chakwal on Sunday, May 09th 2021 for the purpose of
checking of weights of bags at Bestway Cement Factory, Tatral, and District Chakwal.
Mr.Muhammad Ehsan, Manager Electrical, who was the duty officer on Sunday,
coordinated the packing plant visit.
The visiting team reached plant at 02:35PM and stayed for about one hour and
inspected the Packing Plant which was in operation. The team was briefed about the
bag filling, conveying and loading system by Mr. Ehsan Manager Electrical. Furthermore,
it was informed about the automatic weight control system for bags and all the
necessary checks to ensure the correct weight of cement bags being loaded for
dispatch. He further informed that each bag is being weighed on the nozzle during its
filling cycle and then on the check weighed on the conveyor belt. The tally clerks are
deputed for proper loading of bags on each truck. Afterwards, the loaded truck is
weighed at weighbridge and exits the factory after verification of documents. He further
briefed that surprise checks by shift engineer are made on regular basis by picking up
random bags from conveyor belt and weigh them on stationary weigh scale. He assured
that the above stated measures serve to ensure that bags with correct weight are
dispatched from the factory.

The undersigned recorded videos of packed cement bags as they passed over the belt
check-weighed. They cross checked weight of 16 filled cement bags through manual
weighing of bags on stationary weigh scale. Weight of empty bags was also checked.

The summary of bags weight is as below:

 Number of Cement bags checked on Check Weigh Machine: 47

Average weight of bag: 50.42 Kg

 Number of Cement bags checked on Stationary Weigh Scale: 16

Average weight of bag: 50.17 Kg

The detail of cement bags checked by visiting team for weight is as below:

1. Weight of filled Cement Bags on Check-Weigher:

Sr.# Bag Weight Sr.# Bag Weight Sr.# Bag Weight

(kg) (kg) (kg)
1 50.25 17 50.96 33 50.28
2 50.07 18 50.16 34 50.28
3 50.22 19 50.54 35 50.80
4 51.05 20 50.25 36 51.00
5 50.92 21 50.06 37 50.63
6 50.56 22 50.37 38 50.09
7 50.37 23 50.98 39 50.27
8 50.17 24 49.90 40 50.14
9 50.52 25 50.68 41 50.69
10 50.37 26 50.25 42 50.96
11 50.16 27 50.21 43 50.52
12 51.27 28 50.47 44 50.12
13 50.75 29 50.66 45 50.26
 14 50.54 30 50.73 46 50.37
15 50.18 31 50.36 47 50.09
16 48.92 32 50.37
Average of 47 bags: 50.42 kg

2. Weight of filled Cement Bags on Stationary Weigh Scale:

Sr.# Bag Weight Sr.# Bag Weight Sr.# Bag Weight

(kg) (kg) (kg)
1 50.25 7 50.10 13 50.25
2 49.40 8 50.05 14 50.40
3 50.05 9 50.50 15 50.05
4 50.20 10 50.15 16 50.15
5 50.20 11 50.30
6 50.30 12 50.35
Average of 16 bags: 50.17 kg

3. Weight of empty bags on stationary Weigh Scale:

Weight of 15 empty bags: 2.05 kg

Average weight of one empty bag: 0.136 kg

When the undersigned asked about cement bags which were found less than 50kg, it
was clarified by manager electrical that there is a tolerance level defined by OEM of
packers, which in the case is +/-150 grams average for 10 consecutive bags of the same
bag filling nozzle of the cement packing machine. Thus, a one-off bag less than 50 kg is
within the manufacturer limits. However, if the individual bag is less or more than a
limit, it is automatically rejected, cut open on the conveyor belt by a bag destroyer in
order to prevent its being loaded.

On question of viral video clip on social media where a few cement bags were being
weighed on weight scale at an unknown shop/store weight is less, he explained that
spreading disinformation on social media by manipulation has unfortunately become a
common practice nowadays. The clip in discussion is a few months old and fake clip
which is being re-circulated on social media. Furthermore, it was intimated that loading
of 45~46 kg bags shown in the video is simply impossible due to the number of checks
in place at packing plant for control of bags weight. It was further assessed that most
probably the video was recorded in ditrict Khusab by a cement dealer to get some other
specific brand promoted. The representative of Bestway Cement clarified that the
company is dispatching hundreds of thousands of bags every day and would never put
their repute on stake by dispatching few less weight bags.

Submitted for information & direction please.

District Officer (IPWM)

Chakwal