Denmark: FLSmidth has been awarded a contract for process and quality optimisation of 17 cement plants acquired by the CRH Group in 2015. FLSmidth's ability to deliver the large number of systems within 14 months was a factor in the order.

The order is the largest advanced process optimisation project awarded to FLSmidth and includes process optimisation of 12 kilns and 40 grinding mills, as well as quality optimisation of 14 raw mills. In addition, the order includes a service agreement, covering all 66 applications, where FLSmidth will provide support and on-going remote monitoring and optimisation by its process specialists.

The contract uses FLSmidth's ECS/ProcessExpert and QCX/BlendExpert products. The ECS/ProcessExpert system aims to improve plant performance by stabilising the process of the plant, optimising the production, managing and correcting process disruptions and minimising wear on plant equipment.
The QCX/BlendExpert system controls the proportioning of raw material feed to raw mills to obtain the desired chemical product quality with respect to chemical constraints, process constraints and material costs.

CRH is the third largest building materials supplier in the world and has more than doubled its cement production volume due to the recent acquisition of 34 plants (including grinding stations), divested as part of the Lafarge/Holcim merger in 2015. Many of the plants are already using optimisation systems, but CRH chose to standardise on FLSmidth's ECS/ProcessExpert and QCX/BlendExpert solutions.