Displaying items by tag: Award
Germany: BHS-Sonthofen and MSW Mineralstoffwerke Südwest have been awarded the German Resources Efficiency Award 2016 for their Combimix process. The German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy awarded the prize to the two companies in mid-February 2017. The process uses lime to improve raw materials yields in quarries contaminated with clay.
BHS developed the Combimix process based on their twin-shaft batch mixers and implemented it together with MSW. It uses lime to mix with clay that then undergoes a chemical reaction and this allows it to be separated from the rock in a subsequent processing step. The process allows more materials, such as limestone, to be extracted from quarries and extends the usable lifespans of such sites. In addition, previously dumped materials considered unprofitable can now be reassessed.
MSW introduced the process at its Mönsheim quarry in the summer of 2016. It allowed the company to increase its repository’s yield by 25%. To produce the same volume of the final product, it was previously necessary to extract about 620,000t/yr of limestone. At present the total is around 188,000t less, which corresponds to a relative reduction of around 30%. It helped to increase raw material efficiency from the previous level of 65 – 70% to around 93%.
“Our Combimix process holds a vast potential as it enables companies across the globe and throughout various industries to utilise resources more efficiently. In the context of rehabilitating contaminated soil, Combimix can be used to remove oil and other harmful substances. As a result, only a small fraction of the feed material needs to be dumped in hazardous waste landfills. The process is also viable for the cement industry. Here, it can be applied to processing limestone, a key ingredient that improves the burning process in rotary kilns and thus contributes to reducing fuel consumption,” said Dennis Kemmann, the managing director of BHS-Sonthofen.
Cemex’s Victorville cement plant picks up Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification
10 November 2016US: Cemex USA’s Victorville cement plant in California has been awarded Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Conservation Certification for work towards sustainability, environmental-protection and land-stewardship. The WHC presented the Victorville plant with the certification on 3 November 2016 during a ceremony at the 2016 WHC Conservation Conference in Baltimore. The designation means that all Cemex USA’s cement plants are now WHC-certified. WHC focuses on healthy ecosystems and connected communities. Cemex now has 18 WHC-certified sites in North America, of which fifteen are in the US
Cemex’s WHC Conservation Certification programs are mainly focused on habitat restoration and sustainability. In 2013, two wind turbines were commissioned at the Victorville plant. The plant also earned its fifth Energy Star certification earlier in 2016 for reducing its energy use and environmental impact and the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District awarded Cemex USA’s Victorville plant operation the 2015/2016 Exemplar Award.
"This plant has persevered through good times and bad: two world wars, three different owners and countless upgrades to its facilities and equipment. Through all of the changes, two things have remained constant: a commitment to safety and a commitment to producing a high-quality product," said Hugo Bolio, Cemex USA’s Executive Vice President of Cement Operations and Technology. The Victorville Cement Plant was established in 1916 and was upgraded in 1997 and 2001. It has a production capacity of 3Mt/yr.
Siemens wins Materials Handling Engineers’ Association’s Innovation Award for work at Hanson UK cement plants
20 October 2016UK: Siemens has won the Materials Handling Engineers’ Association’s (MHEA) first Innovation Award for its work on energy efficiency savings at three Hanson UK plants. The work focused on fan and control improvements made to the clinker cooler and kiln systems at three Hanson UK sites, which have saved the company nearly Euro2m in energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions. The award was presented at the MEHA’s BULKEX conference in October 2016.
“It’s great to be recognised for this innovative work, where companies can enjoy long-term benefits from process improvements, and we’re particularly pleased to be the first recipients of this award,“ said Siemens application specialist Gary Palmer who worked on all three of the Hanson upgrades.
PCA issues award to Cemex Lyons cement plant
08 September 2016US: The Cemex Lyons Cement Plant has been recognised by the Portland Cement Association (PCA) with its 2016 Energy and Environment Award for Land Stewardship. Representatives from the Lyons, Colorado unit accepted the award on 31 August 2016 at the PCA’s annual Fall Congress meeting in Chicago.
The Lyons plant’s land-stewardship program for 2015 included limiting invasive plants and weeds and cultivating native plants to attract local wildlife and migrating birds, an effort that was launched at the facility in 2008. The plant also optimised its quarry roads to limit fugitive dust emissions and improve energy efficiency and employee productivity. The plant has previously been recognised by the Wildlife Habitat Council for its diverse environmental programs, including increasing areas dedicated to pollinator plantings and native species to 2.33 acres. On Earth Day, plant employees installed bee boards, bat houses and bird nests.
“Cemex is committed to sustainable practices throughout our operations and to building a better future for our communities through environmental initiatives. We are very proud of our Lyons team and their commitment to land stewardship, and it’s truly an honour to be recognized by the PCA for those efforts,” said Cemex USA president Ignacio Madridejos.
The PCA created the Energy & Environmental awards program in 2000. The PCA awards are given annually to recognise environmental and community relations efforts by cement plants throughout North America. The program is open to any cement manufacturing plant in the region.
Lucky Cement wins environmental award
07 September 2016Pakistan: Lucky Cement Limited has received the 13th Annual Environment Excellence Award 2016. The awards ceremony took place on the occasion of a conference titled 'Making our cities sustainable' organised by The National Forum for Environment and Health. Provincial ministers, the Secretary of the Environment, representative of United Nations and other notables were also present on the occasion.
Jovein Cement wins environmental award
28 January 2016Iran: Jovein Cement has won an award for most environmentally conscious cement manufacturer in Iran.
Reasons for winning the award included: the cement producer's efforts to extend the lifetime of its kiln refractory bricks by optimising the rate of production and thereby the energy consumption of natural gas; the recycling of refractory materials; investing in installing an online pollution analyser on the plant's main exhaust; using electro-filter technology to reduce the amount of cement dust and other general pollution released to the neighbouring community.
Future plans by Jovein Cement include the installation of a waste heat recovery system to recycle up to 30% of the heat generated by the plant. As an ancillary benefit the plant will also be able to heat water used at the site.
Lucky Cement wins quality standard award
06 January 2016Pakistan: Lucky Cement Limited has received the Quality Standard Award 2015. The awards were held by The Consumers Eye Pakistan (TCEP) to encourage local manufacturers that are maintaining quality standards and have ISO/PSQCA certification in manufacturing standardised products.
Lucky Cement holds the largest share of cement exports from Pakistan and complies with PSQCA standards along with a range of international standards including those of India, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania. The company uses various methods like dry testing, wet chemical methods, compressive testing and X-Ray diffraction to ensure that product quality is maintained consistently.
"In a highly competitive local and international market, it is imperative for Lucky Cement to maintain its superior quality, while at the same time comply with the requirements of the potential markets," said Amin Ganny, Chief Operating Officer of Lucky Cement Limited.
Panama: Cemex's Panamanian operations have been awarded the highest recognition in sustainable development and environmental management by the Panamanian Chamber of Construction (CAPAC). Cemex Panama earned this honour for its implementation of protection and conservation policies in the environments where it operates.
The award criteria included the company's environmental policies, energy and water efficiency, waste management and the handling of chemical substances; air pollution mitigation; environmental controls and records; environmental contingency plans; and reforestation plans.
Cemex Panama obtained this recognition thanks to such initiatives as its Technological Innovation Project based on P+L Systems, which resulted in energy savings of 32% at its cement plant; its Reduction of Water Consumption Project, which helped reduce its water consumption by over 35%; its waste management and waste-water treatment policies; its Reforestation Project, which will enable the recovery of 633,000m2 of forest by 2019.
"We are very honoured to receive this award, which recognises the integration of environmental management in our daily operations and processes," said Andres Jimenez, President of Cemex Panama. "Sustainability is an integral part of our business model and a core component of Cemex's future growth."
Cemex Nicaragua receives safety award
01 October 2015Nicaragua: For the seventh year in a row Cemex has been awarded a national prize as a 'leading business' for its industrial safety and hygiene management procedures by Nicaragua's National Council for Work Safety and Hygiene at the Ministry of Labour.
This continued recognition is linked to its programmes that encourage workers to report poor behaviour or unsuitable conditions that could otherwise lead to accidents. Cemex Nicaragua is on the verge of reaching zero incidents through more than 14,000hr of training per year.
Cemex Nicaragua wins safety recognition
17 November 2014Nicaragua: Cemex Nicaragua, has been awarded a national prize as a leading business for its industrial safety management procedures. The award was given by the National Council for Work Safety and Hygiene and refers to the firm's Canal plant in southwest Managua. The firm is building a new production unit in the northeast section of the same city at the moment. This new unit is due to begin operations early in 2015.