Displaying items by tag: Plant
Residents sign petition opposing expansion of quarry at Heidelberg Materials’ Ketton cement plant
28 March 2024UK: Over 450 people have signed a petition opposing plans to expand the quarry at Heidelberg Materials’ Ketton cement plant. The company has submitted a planning application for the extension to Rutland County Council, according to the Rutland Times newspaper. Residents including those at the nearby village of Empingham, cited negative effects upon air quality, lighting, noise, dust, sustainability, ecology and economic impacts in their criticism of the plans.
Afghan government targets 4.5Mt/yr capacity across Injil, Jabal Saraj and Shur Andam cement plants
27 March 2024Afghanistan: The government says that contracts worth US$450m have been concluded for the expansion of three Afghan cement plants to 1.5Mt/yr capacity each. Local companies will carry out the expansions, at the Injil cement plant in Herat and the Shur Andam cement plant in Kandahar, while a Qatar-based company will carry out the Jabal Saraj cement plant in Parwan. TRT World News has reported that the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum expects Afghanistan to become self-sufficient for cement after the new capacity joins existing capacity at the Jabal Saraj cement plant and the Ghori cement plant in Baghlan. These two plants reportedly produce 330,000t/yr of cement, less than 10% of domestic demand.
US: Brimstone is negotiating a US$189m Federal award with the Department of Energy to finance the construction of a new decarbonised cement plant. This plant will produce up to 140,000t/yr of Ordinary Portland Cement and supplementary cementitious materials, reducing CO₂ emissions by 120,000t/yr.
Brimstone's process uses carbon-free calcium silicate rocks, reducing its CO₂ footprint. In July 2023, Brimstone's cement met ASTM C150 standards, confirming the effectiveness of its decarbonised process. The company is preparing to construct a pilot plant near Reno, Nevada.
Cimpor becomes sixth cement producer in Cameroon
26 March 2024Cameroon: Cimpor has begun operation of a new cement plant in the industrial and port area of Kribi, Cameroon. The plant has a production capacity of 1Mt/yr. Cimpor's entry makes it the sixth active cement producer in Cameroon, nine years after the end of a 48-year monopoly held by Cimencam, a subsidiary of Lafarge Holcim Maroc Afrique (LHMA).
Cameroon's first competitor was Dangote Cement Cameroon (1.5Mt/yr), followed by Morocco's Cimaf (1.5Mt/yr with the completion of the Douala plant extension), Mira Company (1.5Mt/yr), and Medcem Cameroon, a subsidiary of Turkey's Eren Holding (0.6Mt/yr).
With Cimpor's arrival, Cameroon's annual cement production capacity reaches 8.4Mt/yr, enough to satisfy the national demand, estimated at approximately 8Mt/yr. However, Cameroonian citizens still consider the cost of a 50kg cement bag high compared to countries with similar production levels.
Shree Cement launches Bangur Concrete with new RMC plant
22 March 2024India: Shree Cement has launched Bangur Concrete, inaugurating its first Greenfield Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plant in Hyderabad. The new plant has a production capacity of 90m3/hr.
Earlier in March, Shree Cement acquired five operational plants from StarCrete in Mumbai, raising its combined RMC capacity to 512m3/hr. This move marks a significant step in the company's diversification and growth in the concrete segment.
Yura to establish solar photovoltaic plant in Arequipa
22 March 2024Peru: Grupo Gloria subsidiary Yura plans to build a solar power plant in Yura, Arequipa. The plant will have a peak power of 31MWp and a nominal power of 27MW. The installation involves a 1.3km-long, 30kV transmission line. Gestión News has reported that the project is intended to reduce the costs associated with the company’s cement production.
Boliden announces upcoming alternative cement plant
22 March 2024Finland: Boliden says it has a developed a 95% reduced-CO2 alternative cement production process based on the use of slag. Nordic Daily News has reported that the process has received verification from ‘established players in the cement industry.’ A preliminary study is underway, wherein Boliden will establish a 250,000t/yr production plant. Additionally, the process extracts usable metal from slag.
Lebap Cement Plant's second phase opens in Turkmenistan
15 March 2024Turkmenistan: On 13 March 2024, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov inaugurated the second phase of the Lebap Cement Plant in the Koitendag district, Lebap province, increasing its production capacity to 1Mt/yr. The first phase has been operational since February 2013. The new facility includes 38 buildings and is designed to meet international standards, including the production of sulphate-resistant cement.
Additionally, the President announced the upcoming launch of the Baherden Cement Plant's second stage in the Ahal province, expected to produce another 1Mt/yr of cement.
Serdar Berdimuhamedov said "Advanced equipment has been installed at the plant, which will help optimise the production process and produce products that are in high demand." He added “Turkmenistan has set a course for industrialisation, import substitution and ensuring the competitiveness of domestic construction products."
Shera invests in Philippine fibre cement board plant
15 March 2024Philippines: Shera is investing US$36m to establish its first production hub in the Philippines. Announced by Thunnop Jumpasri, president and country head for Philippines and Malaysia, the move marks a significant expansion in response to the robust growth in the local construction sector.
The new facility, located in Pampanga, commenced initial operations in 2023 and is anticipated to be fully operational by October 2024. With an initial capacity of 100,000t/yr, expected to double in the coming years, the plant will create 150 jobs. After 15 years of supplying fibre cement boards from Thailand and achieving US$27m in Philippine sales last year, Shera aims for 10-15% growth in 2024.
Thunnop Jumpasri said "This will be our first plant outside of Thailand. We plan to export to other countries from the Philippines to Taiwan, Korea and some parts of China, but we prioritise the Philippines first for now."
Heidelberg Materials France to trial carbon capture installation at Airvault cement plant
13 March 2024France: Heidelberg Materials France plans to install a 1Mt/yr carbon capture system at its Airvault cement plant in the New Aquitaine. The Airvault cement plant is undergoing an upgrade, including the replacement of two pre-existing semi-dry lines with a new dry line and pre-calciner. This will reduce the plant’s CO2 emissions by 30% per tonne, reduce its energy consumption by 10% per tonne, reduce its clinker factor and raise its alternative fuel substitution rate to 90%. CO2 capture is set to commence in 2030. The project is one of several, under the GOCO₂ carbon capture, storage and utilisation (CCUS) cluster, which also includes installations at Holcim France’s Saint-Pierre-La-Cour plant and Lhoist France’s Réty lime plant.
Chair Dominik von Achten said “We started an ambitious modernisation programme for our sites in France several years ago, with a planned investment of more than €400m. With the integration of AirvaultGOCO₂, we are now adding a cutting-edge project in the field of carbon capture to our previous efforts, which will enable a further, massive reduction of Heidelberg Materials’ carbon footprint in France.”
Chief sustainability officer Nicola Kimm added “Our approach in Airvault is a perfect example of Heidelberg Materials’ strategy to implement dedicated carbon reduction roadmaps. We are taking every possible step to reduce CO₂ emissions: Phasing out fossil fuels, reducing the clinker content of our cements, and improving energy efficiency. To mitigate the remaining residual emissions, we rely on CCUS – as part of an integrated scheme and with our strong partners in GOCO₂.”