Holcim (US) operates the largest single-kiln line cement-producing facility in the world: the Ste. Genevieve plant in Missouri. When the facility went on-stream in 2009, it required 28 large variable frequency drives (VFDs), with power ratings of 350 to 5,500 hp, to power its fans, mill drives and kiln drives. Ste. Genevieve produces hundreds of tons of cement per hour…
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Saying No to Noise
Lafarge Canada’s Exshaw, Alberta, Plant Installs a Stack Silencer That Has Reduced Sound Levels and Created Community Good Will. By Mark S. Kuhar The installation included 13 silencer modules. In January 2012, Lafarge North America finally said “no” to noise. At that time, they saw the completion of an intensive engineering project at its cement plant in Exshaw, Alberta, Canada, by…
Read MoreMcinnis Cement Thinks Big
New plant designed to serve Eastern markets with a price tag of almost $1 billion. By Mark S. Kuhar and Don Marsh
Read MoreTaking Control of Fugitive Material
Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua upgrades its bulk material handling conveyors, helping the company eliminate waste and reduce maintenance. By Mark S. Kuhar and Josephine Smith
Read MoreShoot the Cannons!
By Josephine Smith A Material Buildup Problem in a Cyclone Was Solved Using Air Cannons to Return Normal Flow to the System and Prevent Future Blockages.
Read MoreSaving Energy in a Cement Plant
By Dr. Stefan Lindner and Thomas Walther Rising Energy Costs, Increasing Pressure To Produce Returns, And The Environment Are Creating Tremendous Interest In Energetically Optimized Plant Concepts.
Read MoreThe Bagging Triangle
By Markus Lackmann A Shift or Change in One Corner – the Product, Bag or Machine – May Necessitate a Change in Another.
Read MoreA Conversation with PCA Chairman Cary Cohrs President, American Cement Company
In this exclusive interview with Cement Americas, the new PCA Chairman discusses the potential industry impact of the nation’s economic “Fiscal Cliff,” the growing popularity of sustainable designs and construction, emphasizing resilience in building, and the association’s increased focus on advocacy and government affairs.
Read MoreFORECAST 2013: RECOVERY ‘CLIFF’ HANGER…
How a newly re-elected president and shifting Congress will deal with a still-slow economy and overwhelming federal debt is anyone’s guess. Although cement consumption and overall U.S. construction activity increased significantly more than expected in 2012, these gains would be immediately erased in 2013 if the “fiscal cliff” is not resolved in a timely manner. A forecast from the Portland…
Read MoreEnergy & Environment Award Winners
The Cement Industry Energy & Environment Awards program was created in 2000 by the Portland Cement Association (PCA) as part of its renewed environment and energy strategic plan for the U.S. cement industry. The awards honor activities conducted during the previous calendar year, and the program is open to any cement manufacturing plant in North America.
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