Displaying items by tag: North Korea
Cheonnaeri Cement upgrades Cheonae cement plant
12 June 2023North Korea: State-owned Cheonnaeri Cement has completed a successful upgrade to its 1Mt/yr Cheonae cement plant in South Hamgyong Province. Korean News has reported that the upgrade involved the replacement of the plant's clinker cooler, burners and clinker and raw materials handling systems. A new bucket conveyor has more than doubled raw materials handling capacity.
Cheonnaeri Cement reportedly plans to further expand the capacity of the plant.
Sunchon cement plant celebrates 50th anniversary
03 May 2023North Korea: The Sunchon cement plant near Pyongyang is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding. President Kim Il Sung visited the site in May 1973 before construction started, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Cement from the plant has been used to build the West Sea Barrage, Kwangbok Street, Ryomyong Street, the Paektusan Hero Youth Power Station and additional ‘monumental edifices.’ Other the years of its operations workers at the site have been awarded the Order of Kim Il Sung and Order of Kim Jong Il, the title of Labour Hero, the title of Merited Calcinations Worker and other forms of recognition.
Upgrades reported at North Korean cement plants
28 April 2023North Korea: Upgrades to two cement plants have been reported by the Korean Central News Agency. The Sunchon cement plant near Pyongyang has installed a multi-channel pulverised-coal burner. The upgrade has allowed the unit to both save coal and increase cement production. The Chonnaeri cement plant in Hamgyongnam province has started operating a new clinker cooler. The companies supplying the new equipment to either plant have not been revealed.
North Korea reports increased production at Hysan Cement
08 November 2022North Korea: State media in Pyongyang has stated that the Hysan Cement plant has carried out its yearly plan ahead of schedule and has produced ‘thousands more tonnes’ of cement than forecast. The factory was reported to have implemented dozens of ‘valuable inventions,’ which reportedly allowed it to increase production by 20% so far in 2022 relative to its total production volume for 2021.
North Korea’s Manpho cement plant increases its capacity by 20%
29 November 2021North Korea: Manpho cement plant has increased its production capacity by 20% through ‘technical innovations.’ Korean News Service has reported that the installation of new equipment in the plant’s kiln line also improved clinker quality.
North Korea: The North Korea government says that it will supply 10,000t/yr of cement to every city and county in the country. The new target will help to fulfil the aims of the January 2021 Five Year Plan, under which the state aims to build 10,000 apartments/year in Pyongyang and 5000 apartments/year in Komdok. The 38 North project has reported that in order to realise this vision, it plans to establish 8.0Mt/yr of new capacity via upgrades and new projects by January 2026.
In March 2021 a North Korean delegation visited a Chinese cement plant to learn about modern cement production.
Sunchon Cement supplies flood reconstruction efforts
26 August 2020North Korea: The state-run KCNA news agency has announced that cement, iron and steel and timber production units throughout North Korea are ‘pushing forward’ with production to supply building materials to flood-ravaged areas, including in Unpha County (North Hwanghae Province) and Ichone County (Kangwon Province). It stated that the Sunchon Cement plant had provided 10,000t of cement to reconstruction sites in ‘a short span of time.’
North Korean plant ‘commissioned in a week’
23 March 2020North Korea: Local press says that the Sangwon Cement Complex in North Hwanghae Province has reported an upsurge in production, apparently making a record 10,000t/month of cement, its highest production level ever.
Chief engineer Yun Song Chol was quoted as saying that this had been made possible by ‘prioritising science and technology’ and ensuring the operation of equipment ‘at full capacity in accordance with the completion of modernisation at the end of 2019.’ Following the works, the line was reportedly commissioned in just a week.
North Korea: The Pyongyang Times newspaper has reported that the state-owned integrated Komusan Cement Factory in Komusan, North Hamgyong province, has successfully trialled cement production at a new dry line. The line will reportedly use lignite as fuel.
Production stopped at Seongho Lee cement plant in North Korea due to lack of electricity
03 July 2019North Korea: Production has reportedly been stopped for three months at the Seongho Lee cement plant near Pyongyang due to a lack of electricity. Sources quoted by South Korea based Daily NK online newspaper suggest that government power rationing has lowered the importance of the plant in comparison to other so-called ‘core’ industries.
The Korean Cement Association reported in 2011 that the plant had a production capacity of 0.95Mt and it uses a wet process production line. The site dates back to 1919 and the age of its equipment may have contributed to the decision to idle the plant.