Displaying items by tag: Kiln

South Africa: Natal Portland Cement (NPC) has completed an upgrade to its kiln at the Simuma plant in Port Shepstone, increasing cement production capacity from 1.5Mt/yr to 2.8Mt/yr, according to Freight News. Since China-based Huaxin Group acquired NPC in December 2023, it has committed US$56m to drive expansion.

Huaxin Group president Li Yeqing said “The Simuma expansion is a testament to Huaxin’s commitment to strengthen and grow the NPC brand in South Africa. The investment in the latest and most modern technology will help NPC increase its production capacity and grow its market share.”

NPC operates three cement plants, a limestone quarry, two aggregate mines and six ready-mix concrete operations across Durban, Port Shepstone and Newcastle.

Jamaica: TCL Group subsidiary Caribbean Cement has commissioned its US$42m debottlenecking project at its Rockfort plant in East Kingston. The capacity of the expanded kiln was not disclosed.

During a ribbon cutting ceremony, Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness said “When we invest in our factories, we invest in our families. When we strengthen our production capacity, we strengthen our national development. This project does more than support housing. It supports jobs. The expanded kiln will enable higher throughput, greater efficiencies, and potentially more stable employment for hundreds of workers.’

He added “Instead of importing, we will be exporting. Instead of consuming value-added goods, we will be producing them. This is the shift from dependency to self-determination.”

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Aubyn Hill said “Everywhere you go, cement is being used, and Caribbean Cement is doing a great job! We want every bag of cement used in Jamaica to be made here because, for every bag that we import, we send jobs overseas. Our job in Jamaica is to keep jobs here.”

Russia: Katavsky Cement has modernised rotary kiln No. 4, raising clinker production capacity by 15% from 888,000t/yr to 927,000t/yr. According to Cemros, the project formed part of a corporate programme of improvements to increase production efficiency, valued at around US$760,000. Specialists reportedly encountered the problem of clinker defects when increasing the feed of raw meal due to insufficient heat exchange in the kiln system. To eliminate the problem, the plant updated the cyclone heat exchanger, stabilised the air supply and combustion of additional fuel, and improved the clinker cooling system.

General director Vyacheslav Lyubimtsev said “Modernisation of kiln No. 4 is a consistent step in the development of the plant. In 2024, similar work was carried out to increase the productivity of furnace No. 3 by 30%. The new result confirms the effectiveness of the chosen strategy.”

Ukraine: Ukrainian cement and concrete producers are ready to expand capacity to meet reconstruction demand, according to a survey by Consumer and Business Research Ukraine (CBR), despite reduced funding and limited state budget. Cement production dropped to 5.4Mt in 2022 from 11Mt in 2021 but stabilised at 7.4Mt in 2023 and 7.97Mt in 2024. CBR estimates that 8Mt/yr is feasible during wartime, rising to 12Mt/yr in the third or fourth year of reconstruction.

The Ukrainian Cement Association (UkrCement) head Pavlo Kachur said “Reconstruction will begin with demining, reinforcing the front lines and restoring energy infrastructure. Large-scale construction will likely not begin until the third or fourth year.”

At present, plant capacity utilisation varies across regions. Plants in western Ukraine are operating at higher capacity, while those in the south and east remain underutilised. In 2022, plants operated at a loss but retained staff. In 2023, volumes were sufficient to break even. Two-thirds of surveyed consumers increased production in 2023, though 2024 expectations were cautious.

Kachur said “Time will be needed for training, planning and securing financing—and cement producers will use that time to fill the market, primarily by investing in modernisation and capacity expansion. For example, two major projects to build new kilns are already ready in Kryvy Rih and Ivano-Frankivsk.”

The study notes that building brand new plants is unlikely, but modernising existing kilns can be accomplished within a year. It expects at least two plants to launch new kilns, increasing capacity by 2Mt/yr. For example, Kryvyi Rih Cement has obtained a permit to develop the Maryanske limestone deposit (60km from the plant) and plans to build a clinker kiln at the site.

CBR researcher Tetiana Sytnyk said “Cement companies are ready to make rapid investments in modernisation and to launch additional kilns once recovery begins. They’re waiting for clear signals to proceed – such as the allocation of reconstruction funds or a surge in demand to at least 9.5Mt/yr.”

Ukraine exported 1.7Mt of cement in 2024, up from 56,000t in 2021, with Kachur adding that exports have ‘saved’ the local industry during the war. Developed countries will be capable of meeting Ukraine’s reconstruction needs, though this could hurt local producers. Kachur added “During the recovery phase, Ukraine’s market must be as localised as possible with domestic products. Only countries that supported us during the war should have access.”

China: Hebei Wushan Cement has completely dismantled a 1000t/day clinker line formerly used to support its 3000t/day clinker line. The line will not resume production.

The producer also dismantled the original rotary kiln of a 2000t/day line and upgraded it to a 3000t/day new dry-process clinker line using a rotary kiln (Φ = 4.3m, L =  60m).

China: Authorities in the province of Hunan have identified a cement plant as the source of thallium contamination in the Leishui River following a botched demolition at the end of 2024, according to Sixth Tone news.

Yongxing County officials said that rainfall had washed thallium-laden dust from a dismantled kiln into the river. Levels peaked at 0.13μg/L, exceeding the national standard of 0.1μg/L, but have since returned to safe levels. The nearby city of Chenzhou is reportedly a hub for non-ferrous metal mining and processing, and a number of Chinese cement plants have begun to process industrial solid waste in recent years. According to Peng Yingdeng, a researcher at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, this method is a common approach for hazardous waste disposal, but can lead to high concentrations of thallium salts in the kiln’s residue. The owner of the plant, Hunan Liantian Cement, added solid waste management to its list of businesses in September 2024.

The local government has despatched teams to apply chemical treatments to the affected areas, with water quality since returning to safe levels. Local residents’ drinking water was reportedly not affected.

France: CBMI has completed installation of a new rotary kiln at Eqiom’s Lumbres plant for the ‘K6 Project’. The plant is now reportedly carbon-neutral and is equipped with an oxyfuel kiln to reduce CO₂ emissions. The supplier said via social media that its team ‘delivered precise execution despite tight space and complex challenges’.

Eqiom announced back in 2024 that it would upgrade the Lumbres plant to expand its capacity and reduce emissions by 20% by 2026.

Sweden: Heidelberg Materials has successfully operated a 300kW plasma-heated cement kiln at its Slite cement plant, which it claims is the first of its kind. The producer has achieved 54 hours of continuous operation, with 60% CO₂ concentration in the flue gas. The aim is to reach 99%.

The kiln is part of the ELECTRA project, which aims to replace traditional combustion processes with electricity-based solutions, like plasma. The project consists of 17 partners from 8 countries.

Project manager Bodil Wilhelmsson said "It looks very promising. We started the tests at the end of last year and can now say with certainty that this is the right way to go: we will be able to produce clinker with plasma."

Fuel-related CO₂ emissions from cement production are eliminated because no fuel needs to be used in the production process. Instead, CO₂ is heated to over 5000°C, where it becomes a plasma jet that heats the material in the kiln.

Wilhelmsson added "The absence of fuel in the process means that there is no ash in the product. This means that a parameter that could affect the quality of the product if it fluctuates is no longer considered. So, it looks like the quality of the clinker can actually be slightly higher in this process."

Heidelberg Materials plans to build a 1MW kiln in Skövde cement plant in 2026, where further tests will continue.

Zimbabwe: South Africa-based Robtek is working on a ‘refurbishment’ project at Khayah Cement’s integrated plant in Harare. The project work on the kiln includes replacing 10 planetary coolers, installing 23m of kiln shell sections and refurbishing eight support rollers. Work on the raw mill includes replacing trunnion bearings, overhauling raw mill bearings, upgrading the internal diaphragm and head wall liners and installing a new double-flap valve to replace the star feeder.

Jamaica: Caribbean Cement Company has reached a milestone in its kiln expansion project with the installation of a 160t-capacity surge bin and solid fuel equipment.

The development ensures a stable and increased fuel supply to the kiln during cement production, according to Loop News.

Jorge Martinez, managing director of Caribbean Cement, said “The successful installation marks a significant step forward in enhancing our production capabilities. This investment is a main milestone of the expansion project to be completed in the first half of 2025 with the aim of increasing the efficiency and stability of our operations. It also demonstrates our commitment to meeting the local demand for cement.”