New Raw Mill Increases Productivity And Efficiency At CalPortland’s Mojave Plant. Edited by Mark S. Kuhar At CalPortland Co.’s Mojave plant, kiln production was being limited by the raw mill, which couldn’t cope with the increasing demand of a hot market. The company made the decision to invest in a new mill, and settled on an OK raw mill 48-4…
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Don’t Miss ICSE
Registration for the International Cement Seminar & Exhibition (ICSE), the premier event for the cement industry, is officially open. The Nov. 14-15 event at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta will bring together industry leaders to discuss the latest trends and technologies in cement production. ICSE is sponsored by Cement Products and sister publications Rock Products and Concrete Products. Keynote…
Read MorePCA on a Roll
The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has been busy lately. Following an impressive showing at ConExpo-Con/Agg in Las Vegas, and a very successful IEEE/PCA trade show in Dallas, PCA has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2023 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award. It’s the fourth consecutive year PCA has been recognized by…
Read More3 Key Allowances in Ceramic Refractory Anchoring Design
To Accommodate Expansion Movement Within Anchoring Systems, Vital Allowances Must Be Incorporated. Edited by Mark S. Kuhar Research shows that more than 40% of monolithic refractory failures are the result of improper anchor design and installation. Failures commonly attributed to the refractory component are instead often caused by shortcomings in the actual anchoring system. Like any material, refractories will expand…
Read MoreQuarterly Reports a Mixed Bag
Publicly traded U.S. cement producers just reported results, and those results are a mixed bag. At Summit Materials, Cement Segment net revenues increased 23.6% to $97.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. Cement Segment adjusted cash gross profit margin increased to 47.1% in the fourth quarter, compared to 42.7% in the prior-year period as strong pricing gains more than…
Read MoreIn Search of Electric Tech
New Electric Technology Hitting The Market Is Designed To Address The Sustainability Revolution In The Construction Materials Industry. By Mark S. Kuhar Cement producers seeking to develop the safe, productive, smart and clean workplaces of the future are looking hard at innovations in electric technology. There is no lack of innovations coming to market. For instance, Holcim US entered into…
Read MoreTeamwork Makes the Dream Work
Find Out How CalPortland Was Able To Receive A New Mill In The Middle Of A Supply Chain Crisis. Edited by Mark S. Kuhar When FLSmidth began negotiations with CalPortland for a new raw grinding circuit at CalPortland’s Mojave plant in California, the world was still relatively normal. And when contracts were signed in spring 2020, no one expected the…
Read MoreChasing the Carbon Cure
There is no doubt that reducing the cement industry’s carbon footprint is a priority. The Portland Cement Association’s (PCA) Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality recently celebrated one year of progress. PCA said notable achievements over the past year across the value chain include: Multiple cement manufacturers in the United States, with support from the Department of Energy, have begun pilot projects…
Read MoreTalking Carbon
I’ll state the obvious: carbon is a hot topic right now. Portland Cement Association (PCA) Chairman Ron Henley (GCC America) told a New York Climate Week gathering that U.S. producers have exceeded expectations outlined nearly one year ago with release of the PCA Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality. That is good news. What is happening in the North American market is…
Read MoreRobust Anchor Design
Refractory Engineers’ And Managers’ Best Tips On Metallic Anchors. Edited by Mark S. Kuhar It is estimated that up to 40% of refractory lining failures can be attributed to a problem with the design of the anchor system or its improper installation. This is a significant number. When designing a refractory lining for an industrial application, anchor design becomes one…
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