WORLD CEMENT Meticulous Planning Gets JK Cement Off to a Great Start FLSmidth India reports. WORLD...

SINCE 1908…TAKING THE BEST FROM THE PAST TO BUILD THE FUTURE

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Established in 1908, Bedeschi designs and manufactures machinery

and plants for brick and tile manufacturing, bulk handling and mining

equipment. This fully integrated line of products and services is widely

utilised in brick and tiles, air-gas filtering, cement, mining, logistics, dry

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CONTENTS JUNE

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Volume 46: Number 6

June 2015

ISSN 02636050

THIS MONTH’S COVER

SINCE 1908…TAKING THE BEST FROM THE PAST TO BUILD THE FUTURE

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20 49WORLD CEMENT REGULARS

03 Comment

05 News

13 Keynote: The Waste Material BusinessDr Christelle Sing, Lafarge Industrial Ecology International.

88 Regional Report Infographic

REGIONAL REPORT: INDIA

20 Building Blocks to ExpansionWonder Cement, India.

27 ‘Zero Harm, Zero Excuses’Uday Deshpande, UltraTech Cement Limited, India.

33 Meticulous Planning Gets JK Cement Off to a Great StartFLSmidth India reports.

WORLD CEMENT SPECIAL FEATURES

36 Plant Tour: Cemex Rugby PlantRosalie Starling visited Cemex UK’s largest production unit.

45 Step by Step Towards Alternative FuelsKatherine Guenioui reviews the Loesche Seminar.

CRUSHING

49 Cover Story: Crushing and Storing Challenging MaterialsPietro de Michieli, Bedeschi Spa, Italy.

53 Crushing Down to SizeDr York Reichardt, HAZEMAG, Germany.

PROJECT PLANNING

56 Increasing Fuel OutputLavinia Necula, Technical Manager of SNEF Cement & Minerals Business Unit (Engineering Division).

TESTING & ANALYSIS

61 The Advantages of AutomationEckart Hengsberger, Toni Technik, Germany.

66 Testing and AnalysisCorporate, product and project news from XRF, XRD, on/offline analysis and laboratory equipment specialists.

STORAGE & STOCKPILES

69 Does Your Bulk Storage Scheme Design Stack Up?Richard Farnish, The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, UK.

DEDUSTING

73 A Storming SuccessPedro Araújo, Advanced Cyclone Systems, Portugal.

FANS

77 Flow ControlNurul “Moni” Talukder, P.E., Process Barron, USA.

GENERAL INTEREST

83 A Waterproof SolutionMondi Industrial Bags, Austria.

85 Motors and LubricationCase studies from Lubrication Engineers and Menzel Elektromotoren.

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COMMENT JUNE

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As we were preparing this issue for press, there came news of an explosion at a cement plant that left three people dead and two severely injured. At the time of writing, the available news was limited and it is not entirely clear what happened – but what comes across very clearly is the devastation felt by all concerned at this terrible loss of life.

Accidents happen more often than any of us would like. In the US alone, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has reported 10 deaths so far this year – four in the coal sector and six in metal/nonmetal mines. The causes range from falls to machinery failures. None of these accidents occurred in cement plants, but they so easily could have. A quick search reveals a number of tragic accidents in cement plants around the world in recent months, with fatal consequences. The cement manufacturing process is hazardous – that’s why companies put so much focus on health and safety. Heavy machinery, extreme temperatures and working at height are just a few of the most obvious dangers, and a hard hat and steel-toed boots can only do so much to protect you. In this environment, it is impossible to eliminate risk. All you can do is try to minimise it and in the meantime prepare your workforce to react to risk appropriately.

So how do you react to risk? Survival is supposed to be one of the basic human instincts, but all of us put ourselves in harm’s way on a regular basis, taking unnecessary risks because we are rushing or because we have become complacent, or simply because we’re not paying attention. Companies talk about making health and safety a core behaviour, so that it is a value akin to respect or honesty, but at the centre of this is recognising the risks that are present in every situation. That’s what safe behaviour comes down to – perceiving hazards.

The cause of this latest explosion will no doubt be fully investigated and the company will take all possible steps to ensure that such an accident never happens again. What would be really useful would be if they saw fit to share this information with the global cement industry, so that we could all recognise this hazard and prepare ourselves to react appropriately in our own facilities. The same goes for all those other accidents that showed up on my brief internet search, and those that didn’t make it as far as the media – those lost time injuries or near misses that left people at the plant pondering their own mortality. Admitting to failures is its own kind of risk, but sharing learning experiences is what World Cement is for.

In this issue, India’s UltraTech Cement reports on the measures taken to improve its own health and safety response, following guidance from DuPont Sustainability Solutions (page 27). You will also find mention of health and safety in this month’s World Cement plant tour, focused on Cemex UK’s Rugby cement plant (page 36). If you are interested in sharing your stories, email me at [email protected].

WORLD NEWS JUNE

June 2015 / 5 World Cement

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

To read more about these articles go to:

• Holcim releases 2014 Corporate Sustainability Report

• Lafarge US employees devote almost 1500 hours to community service

• ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions opens service centre in Chile

Cemex is investing US$300 million in the Philippines, which will include a new 1.5 million tpy integrated cement production line at its Solid plant in Luzon. The new line will double the plant’s production capacity and will increase Cemex’s capacity in the country by 25%.

In May 2015, Cemex Philippines officially inaugurated its completed expansion project at the APO plant in Cebu, as well as a network of logistics centres in Visayas and Mindanao. The project, which represents an investment of US$80 million, has upped the APO plant’s cement production capacity by 40%. It has also enhanced Cemex’s distribution capabilities through additional terminals in Iloilo and Davao. The inauguration event was attended by the country’s President, His Excellency President Benigno S. Aquino III, and a number of his cabinet members. The President also met with Cemex CEO Fernando A. Gonzalez during a recent visit to the country.

The company has also invested US$18.6 million in a waste-to-energy power plant to capture excess heat at one of its cement plants and transform it into electricity.

“We endeavour to be a partner of the Philippine government and the business community in ensuring growth and progress,” explained Joaquin Estrada, President of Cemex Asia.

Pedro Palomino, Cemex Philippines President, added: “We are definitely here for the long run and we remain committed to helping build a better future for the Philippines”.

Philippines Cemex invests in the Philippines

Cementos Argos has acquired a 60% stake in Wetvan Overseas for more than US$18 million. Wetvan Overseas controls a cement storage and distribution terminal in Puerto Rico. The remaining 40% is held by Grupo Vicini, a Dominican business group with investments throughout the Caribbean and Central America.

The purchase increases Argos’ capacity to 250 000 tpy in Puerto Rico, ensuring a local market share of approximately 15%. The cement terminal strengthens Argos’ presence in the Caribbean and complements its existing operations in the US, Central America and Colombia.

“With this transaction, we are entering a new market that is closely tied to the US economy, which currently consumes close to 650 000 tons of cement per year and whose growth perspectives are being driven by the latent recovery and the new programmes aimed at stimulating investment in Puerto Rico. The acquisition strengthens our position as leader in the region,” said Jorge Mario Velásquez, CEO of Argos.

Puerto Rico Argos expands presence through cement terminal acquisition

General Contractor Chengdu Design & Research Institute of Building Materials Industry Co., Ltd has ordered a mill from Gebr. Pfeiffer for Saudi Arabia’s Readymix. The MPS 3070 BC cement mill has an installed drive power of 1100 kW. It will grind granulated blastfurnace slag at a rate of 30 tph to a fineness of 4000 cm2/g and OPC at 46 tph to 3600 cm2/g. Delivery is scheduled for 2015.

Saudi Arabia Gebr. Pfeiffer to supply VRM to Readymix

June 2015 6 \ World Cement

EVENTS

Binding agreementOn 26 May, it was announced that CRH plc has entered into a binding agreement with Lafarge and Holcim regarding the purchase of certain key assets for an enterprise value of e6.5 billion.

EuropeThe European Commission has approved CRH as a suitable buyer for Lafarge and Holcim assets up for divestment in Europe. The Commission has also granted CRH clearance for the acquisition of these assets.

All divestments remain subject to the completion of the LafargeHolcim merger. This is expected to close in July 2015, subject to the acceptance of Holcim’s public exchange offer by the shareholders of Lafarge.

North AmericaCompetition authorities in the US and Canada have approved the proposed merger, meaning that all competition approvals have now been obtained. Lafarge and Holcim are therefore able to present a final list of divestments to satisfy regulatory requirements.

Reorganisation projectOn 19 May 2015, both Lafarge and Holcim announced the launch of a reorganisation project of group

Worldwide The latest updates on the proposed LafargeHolcim merger

USA Holcim orders Promecon gas volume measurement system

Promecon GmbH has received an order from Holcim US for a McON air gas measurement system. This will be installed at the Devil’s Slide plant in Morgan, Utah, to measure the kiln off gas amount in the downcomer duct. Using the McON air system in this application provides smoother kiln ID fan control, resulting in a stabilised kiln operation.

The new order means that Promecon gas volume measurement systems will feature in six Holcim US

plants. The maintenance-, drift- and calibration-free measurement for gas velocity or gas volume in applications with dust loads up to 1000 g/m3 and gas temperatures of up to 1000˚C has thus far been installed at 20 cement plants on the American continent. Worldwide, it is used by more than 50 cement plants, particularly to measure heavily dust laden outlet gas flows of raw and cement VRMs.

15 – 18 September 2015

UNITECR 2015

Vienna, Austria

www.unitecr2015.org

7 – 10 October 2015

13th TÇMB International Technical Seminar and Exhibition

Antalya, Turkey

www.tcma.org.tr

7 – 9 October 2015

ILA General Assembly

Istanbul, Turkey

www.internationallime.org

13 – 16 October 2015

14th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement

Beijing, China

www.iccc2015beijing.org

10 – 12 November 2015

20th Arab International Cement Conference & Exhibition

Cairo, Egypt

www.aucbm.org

5 – 6 October 2015

10th Middle East CemenTrade

Dubai, UAE

www.cmtevents.com

functions in preparation for the merger. The newly formed group will ‘be balanced between a decentralised structure and strong central functions’. The latter will be organised around three levels: countries, regions, and corporate functions.

The merged company will employ around 115 000 people and will have an equivalent number of staff in the central functions in France and Switzerland. The new group’s research and development centre will be located in L’Isle d’Abeau, France.

The proposed reorganisation of group functions would result in around 380 net job losses at Lafarge worldwide, 166 of which would be in France. The merger plans will not impact employment at Lafarge’s operational functions in France. Social support measures, which will be negotiated with employee representatives, will largely comprise solutions based on internal mobility, early retirement and, in France, voluntary departures.

The new organisation structure involves a net reduction of some 120 positions at Holcim group functions in Switzerland. Holcim will launch a social consultation process with employee representatives in Switzerland to reduce the impact on roles affected by the reductions.

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8 \ World CementJune 2015

Germany Invitation to CPB Grinding Seminar

Christian Pfeiffer will hold the CPB Grinding Seminar in Beckum, Germany, on 21 – 23 September 2015. This has been specially designed for Plant Managers, Technical, Production and Maintenance Managers or Engineers, responsible for operating and/or maintaining

grinding plants and equipment. The intensive three-day CPB seminar will offer participants the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of grinding and separating processes and their optimisation both in theory and practice. Further information and application forms can be found on the company’s website.

In other news, Christian Pfeiffer Beckum celebrated its 90th anniversary on 24 April 2015. Guests from around the world gathered at the company’s grounds in Sudhoferweg, where they were treated to a night of world-class entertainment, including live music, dancing, magic and a spectacular light and sound show. Managing Directors Heinrich Obernhuber and Erich Pichlmaier gave speeches at the event, noting that there was much to celebrate. This includes the devlopment of more than 6000 mill diaphragms, 900 separators and 50 complete mills.

Hope Construction Materials is investing £1 million in the manufacture and long-term lease of 48 tailor-made rail wagons. These will enhance the distribution of cement from the company’s Hope cement plant in Derbyshire to depots such as Theale, Dewsbury and Walsall.

The wagons are being manufactured by Feldbinder, and are due for delivery in the autumn of 2015. In line with Hope Construction Materials’ commitment to sustainability, the wagons will be built from aluminium, reducing their weight and thereby lowering their fuel consumption and carbon emissions. They will also feature track-friendly bogeys, which allow the wheels to turn around bends more easily, meaning that the wagons will be quieter than other models.

“These new wagons will bring many benefits and help us achieve major improvements in our rail logistics operation,” said Ashley Bryan, Industrial Director of Hope Construction Materials. “They will carry a much larger ‘payload’ – 80 tonnes in comparison with the current wagon payload of 36 tonnes – meaning fewer trains are required to achieve the same annual volume, resulting in reduced movements up and down the branch line between Hope Works and the mainline. Fewer rail movements mean less impact on our neighbours around Hope Works, which is very important to us given our commitment to maintaining a strong relationship with the local community.”

UK Hope Construction Materials invests in rail transportation

USA Lafarge and Solidia to commercialise low-carbon technology

Solidia Technologies® has signed an agreement with Lafarge to commercialise its low-carbon technology. The patented technology reduces CO2 emissions during the cement production process and uses CO2 in precast concrete manufacturing. Lafarge will commercialise the technology worldwide and, in partnership, with

Solidia, it will offer a complete solution comprising both Solidia Cement™ and Solidia Concrete™.

The commercial launch will begin in some key North American and European markets for the manufacture of concrete products, such as blocks, paving stones and roof tiles.

AAF_Layout.indd 1 17/05/2013 10:21


IN BRIEF

As of 13 May 2015, ThyssenKrupp has combined OOO Uhde and OOO Polysius, Russia, to become OOO ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions (RUS). This will combine the strengths of its plant technology operations, which will be managed in two divisions under the roof of ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions (RUS): Process Technologies and Resource Technologies.

A cement company in the US has approved the use of MagneGas® fuel to replace acetylene, placing an order with MagneGas Corporation for a location in Florida. The cement company has been testing the hydrogen-based fuel for use in plant repairs. The fuel is converted from liquid waste using a patented process.

Two of Ash Grove Cement Company’s cement plants have received Wildlife Habitat Council certifications. The Midlothian plant, Texas, was recognised in the ‘Corporate Lands for Learning’ category, while the Foreman plant in Arkansas was recertified in the ‘Wildlife at Work’ category.

The 24th AFCM Technical Symposium & Exhibition took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 21 – 24 April 2015, guided by the Vietnam National Cement Association (VNCA) as the Steering Committee. The event brought together leading players in the regional and international cement industry, with a three-day conference programme comprising 22 technical papers. Delegates also had the opportunity to learn more about the products and services offered by major suppliers in the exhibition area, which featured 44 booths.

The theme of this year’s symposium was ‘Upgrading Technology for a Sustainable Development.’ This focus was reinforced in the opening remarks of

AFCM Technical Coordinator, Dr Ernesto M. Ordonez, who encouraged participants to learn more about the latest sustainable technologies via the papers and interaction with

exhibitors, and to take this information back home to share with their colleagues.

The symposium was well attended, with high quality papers throughout. The presentations discussed technical innovations in grinding, materials handling, refractories, filtration, lubrication, loading and more, as well as case studies from cement plants in the region. A paper by the Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem) on cashew nut shell as a partial anthracite coal replacement at the Vicem Binh Phuoc plant, an outline of sustainability achievements and targets at Holcim Vietnam, and an overview of the installation of an FLSmidth OK mill at the Tuban plant in Indonesia, were among the highlights of the symposium.

Delegates were treated to traditional Vietnamese entertainment and hospitality during the welcome cocktails and networking dinner, and had the chance to experience more of the local culture on a tour of the Bat Trang Pottery Village. The event finished in spectacular style with participants gathering for dinner in the hotel gardens, overlooking a lake lit by hanging lanterns.

Photos from the event can be found on World Cement’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/worldcement.

Vietnam 24th AFCM Technical Symposium & Exhibition

In April 2015, Starlinger successfully commissioned its 200th ad*starKON valve bottomer. This was installed at Lucky Star Weaving Co., Ltd’s production facility in Sam Phran District, Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand. The ad*starKON SX+ conversion line supplied to Lucky Star is equipped with the optional new-generation qualiSTAR II quality assurance system.

Lucky Star is one of the few producers of 2-ply AD*STAR sacks. These have an inner layer of paper or plastic film to prevent moisture intrusion and aid dust control, making them well suited for packaging cement and other moisture-sensitive materials in humid, tropical climates. Over 6.15 billion AD*STAR sacks/year are produced on Starlinger’s block bottom conversion line across five continents.

Thailand 200th ad*starKON valve bottomer delivered

Jesper Nymand Pedersen, Service Engineer15+ Cross-Bar® coolers serviced and optimised every year

“ It’s more than maintenance; it’s protecting my customer’s investment”

Whether we’re assembling new parts, rebuilding components or trouble-

shooting the hydraulics or the PLC – it’s all in a day’s work for our service

engineers. But we don’t just fix here-and-now problems. We look to

the future, working with our customers to plan ahead for essential

maintenance, improve processes and minimise downtime.

FLSmidth’s service programme includes everything from on-site plant

inspections and remote support to technical assistance and training. With

unrivalled cement plant knowhow, our service engineers provide industry-

leading technical support for all equipment, including non-FLSmidth

equipment, across the full flowsheet of cement plant operations.

Visit www.flsmidth.com/onsiteservices or book your cooler

inspection at [email protected]

ServicesCooler

Main Theme: “Sustainable Environment and Energy” Low Carbon Technologies in Cement ProductionIndustrial SymbiosisUse of Wastes Innovation and New Technologies All other subjects related to sector

*Main SponsorsGala Dinner: Aybars Makina Opening Cocktail: ABBSeminar Bags, Documents and Flash Drives: REMSANNetworking Cocktail: GRACE Construction ChemicalsSeminar Luncheon: AERZENRefreshment Breaks: Schneider ElectricLanyards: IDEA Construction Chemicals

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KEYNOTE JUNE


The Waste Material Business

More than 4 billion t of waste materials are produced every year throughout the world. Waste treatment is therefore a major issue, not

only in industrialised, but also in emerging countries. It is possible to avoid investing capital in new and intensive waste treatment installations when cement kilns already exist in a country or region. This is especially true in emerging countries with less waste treatment capacities at a time when other important infrastructures, energy and water capacities, etc. are needed.

The co-processing of waste materials during the production of cement in suitably-controlled cement kilns not only manages waste materials, it also provides energy and material recovery opportunities. This recovery option for many waste materials is a practical, cost-effective and environmentally-preferred option to landfill and incineration according to the United Nations Environment Programme (Basel convention).

The cement production process guarantees complete destruction of all organic waste material by its high burning temperature. This is a waste-free process with zero impact on emissions. It is obtained within the framework of a strict traceability procedure, comprising quality controls at the plants.

Co-processing is one of the core processes of what is known as the ‘circular economy’ concept: waste material from one business goes into the production process of another business.

Waste material, for example residue from other industries, shredded tyres, biomass from agriculture, as well as municipal waste materials, goes into the cement production process as alternative fuels and/or raw materials.

Today, at Lafarge, more than 20% of heat energy is generated by alternative fuels and 5 million t of alternative raw materials are already used to produce

Dr Christelle Sing, Lafarge Industrial Ecology International, tells the long and increasingly intricate story of waste material sourcing for alternative fuels and raw materials.


”

Today, at Lafarge, more than 20% of heat energy is generated by

alternative fuels and 5 million t of alternative

raw materials are already used to

produce cement.

cement. The amount of alternative fuel has doubled in the past four years, with a substitution rate of over 30% in 16 countries in 2014, and this trend continues.

Lafarge is committed to reducing its consumption of non-renewable resources and developing an integrated waste ‘re-use’ solution as part of its Sustainability Ambitions 2020. Lafarge set the target of using 50% non-traditional fuels in its cement plants by 2020 (with biomass comprising 30% of these alternative fuels).

A great variety of sustainable projects have to be developed to increase the amount of waste fuel used in cement kilns and such projects must be adapted to specific local contexts because waste materials are locally sourced.

This article provides an overview of the evolution over time of different waste materials sourced by Lafarge. It shows how waste specifications have changed from ‘ready-to-use’ to pre-treated waste materials. More ambitious projects with important partnerships are underway. Finally, this article provides a summary of effective changes observed in terms of motivation and benefits.

Evolution of different sourced waste materials

Industrial waste In industrialised countries the cement industry in the 1970s began using alternative fuel and raw materials by recovering waste materials from other industries. The chemical and oil industries provided used solvents and residue oil from tank bottoms; the automobile industries provided residue with a base of textile or polymers; the metallurgic industry provided paint sludge or surface treatment residue, etc.

‘Ready-to-use’ industrial waste The first waste materials were ‘ready-to-use’, i.e. ready to be recovered. Most of this waste material was recovered per se (thermal and/or material recovery). The chemical and oil waste materials with high heat energy potential were injected into the cement kiln as a substitute to traditional fuels. This thermal recovery or co-processing operation was acknowledged by various authorities as being a green solution for selected environmental issues.

Inorganic solid waste materials from a broad range of industries (metallurgical, electronics, cosmetics, shipbuilding, rubber processing, etc.) were added to the existing piles of raw materials. Alternative raw materials were admitted to have significant value in terms of conservation of non-renewable mineral resources, as

well as ensuring environmental protection because an enormous mass would otherwise have ended up landfilled.

Pre-treated industrial wasteIndustrial waste materials did not always correspond to the specifications of what cement plants required. Progressively, pre-treatment platforms were set up and made it possible to improve the physical characteristics, workability and transportation of certain waste materials. The greater regularity of the chemical composition and physical characteristics of the waste materials resulting from this intermediary preparation step offered a definite advantage.

The specifications for acceptable fuels or raw materials in a cement plant are relatively constant. (They mainly depend on the process, the quality of cement, the environmental requirements – and these are generally stable for years.) Access to pre-treatment platforms has made it possible to review

the specifications of waste materials because they are processed in order to comply with the specifications for fuel or raw materials in a cement plant.

For example, in South Africa in 2014, Lafarge and InterWaste, a waste management joint venture partner, commissioned a blending platform to pre-treat waste hydrocarbon sludge in order to supply Lafarge and other customers with this pre-treated waste material. The facility made it possible to accept waste material that would otherwise not be applicable in a cement

plant. The quality and consistency of the fuel was thus ensured, making it easier for the cement plant to handle and use. This facility is the first of its type on the African continent. It is not only a major step forward for Lafarge’s South African alternative fuel strategy, but it also presents important environmental benefits. Waste generators now have their waste materials treated at the pre-treatment platform. This recovered waste material is used in the cement kilns instead of being sent to landfill sites.

Until recently, only a few plants throughout the world were equipped with the means to introduce the whole tyres of light vehicles to a cement kiln. Shredded tyres are another example of pre-treated waste material. Not only do tyres have an extended use in many cement plants, but it is also possible to accept tyres of different calibres. The rubber provides a source of heat and the metal part of the tyre is recovered and used as a substitution for iron ore needed in cement


production. Tyres are a perfect example of joint recovery of heat and material.

Agricultural residueAgricultural residue has become the second historic source of alternative fuel for Lafarge. Agricultural farms generate substantial volumes of residue, very little of which is recovered. Moreover, Lafarge has expanded into countries where nearly no industrial waste material is available.

‘Ready-to-use’ agricultural residueCertain agricultural residues can be used per se as alternative fuel in a cement plant. In particular, such waste materials comprise rice husks, coffee husks, palm residue, animal meal and outdated seeds.

Pretreated agricultural residueSimilar to industrial waste pre-treatment developments, it has recently become possible to accept more complex residue, for example cotton, corn or sunflower stalks, as well as forestry waste (bark, branches).

The Greek example is an illustration of new supply possibilities related to the pre-treatment process. Initially, the pre-treatment process was a grinding mill, followed by a silage harvester. For several years Lafarge Greece has used residue from the production of cotton and corn to substitute its traditional fuel. This residue is collected on the farms after harvests by several passages of machines harnessed to a tractor (to cut the residual stalk, gather the stalks into piles, make them into balls and gather the balls on the edge of the field). The balls of this residue are then taken to the cement plant and injected into the kiln after being pulverised. All these operations had a low yield per acre compared to their high energy consumption. Now, the stalks are gathered and processed in one single passage through the field by a silage harvester with a trailer. The pretreated agricultural residue, or the ‘prepared residue’, are then taken to the cement plant and can be injected into the kiln.

Municipal wasteAccording to the World Bank, the production of municipal waste is expected to double over the next ten years, resulting from a combined effect of urban development and changes in consumption patterns. Municipal waste is an affordable and unlimited source of fuel (i.e. the organic part of the municipal waste containing plastic, cardboard, paper, etc).

Preselected ‘Ready-to-use’ municipal wasteIn countries where waste management is well established, the municipal waste is selected in order to sort the recyclable materials. More than 10 years ago Lafarge was supplied with such selected municipal waste and used it as fuel in its cement production.

Pretreatment of all municipal wasteMore recently, municipal waste is being considered for use in countries where it is not selected and thus not usable per se.

A growing number of industries are now interested in the heat potential of municipal waste. Lafarge has therefore created direct partnerships with towns by offering them a turnkey recovery proposal for all its municipal waste. This provides the towns with an alternative to landfill.

Several treatment projects of municipal waste are already being negotiated in various countries and continents. In each project, Lafarge assumes the responsibility for the treatment of the waste material (selection, material recycling, drying, grinding, etc.) and then recycles the part that can be used as alternative fuel in its kilns. The partnerships have variable scopes because the projects are obviously unique. They have to adapt to the needs of the territory; the quality and quantity of waste materials depend on local activities, life habits, climate, etc. They also have to adapt to the level of the maturity of the recycling networks: existing markets for the recycling of plastic, metal, glass, etc.

Collaboration with and organisation of the informal sector In certain countries this is organised by partnering with existing entities and creating more ambitious and more efficient structures together. In Egypt, for example, Lafarge has been collaborating with Zabaleens since 2013. This is an informal network specialised in the collection and selection of municipal waste in Cairo. In addition to the recovered recyclable materials, Lafarge offers to collect the fuel waste (textiles, plastic bags, etc). This waste material was formally not recovered and had polluting effects. Thus, approximately 30 t of waste materials are collected each day and recovered at the closest Lafarge cement plant. This initiative made it possible to create 140 jobs for a very disadvantaged population and contributes to the development of this management network of waste materials. National and international NGOs are also interested in reproducing the project in other regions. The next step will consist of building

Waste hydrocarbon sludge pre-treatment platform in South Africa.


an important pre-treatment platform in Cairo. The investment will be financed through partnership with the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development).

Municipal treatment projects built from scratchIn other countries, everything still remains to be accomplished – for example in Iraq where a project was signed with the city of Sulaimaniyah in view of creating a pre-treatment platform. This is financed by the IFC-World Bank, Proparco and Faruk, a local investor. Beginning at the end of 2015 and for a period of 20 years, Lafarge will be responsible for all municipal waste, which has been dumped until now. The recoverable part – approximately 85% – will be prepared on the platform and then used as alternative fuel in the cement kiln located a few kilometres away from the town. The remaining waste material will be sent to a controlled landfill site.

The economic, social and environmental benefits of this new waste management will be numerous: stopping uncontrolled landfilling, avoiding river, soil and air pollution, creating 150 jobs, recovering energy from municipal waste and preserving natural resources.

AgroforestryThe latest supply means of alternative fuel from the agricultural sector is different from the ready-to-use waste materials or waste pre-treatments. It intervenes before the production phase. It is therefore no longer only a question of intervening during the final treatment phase of the waste material, but creating upstream partnerships by financially backing local farms. This co-development strategy has been undertaken by respecting four driving principles: no negative impact on food supply locally, preservation of the soils and water resources, preservation or improved biodiversity, shared prosperity and contribution to the wellbeing of the local population.

Tree planting for wood waste recovery during quarry rehabilitationIn certain cases Lafarge uses its own land to create plantations for energy-creating crops. A tree planting project was launched in Kenya in 2007 in part of the quarry of a cement plant that was not yet used. This created local jobs and protected the resources of limestone. Planters were hired to prepare, launch and then take care of the plantation. Before the canopy was established, Lafarge also provided them with free plots of land for food crops. The trees were selected for their adaptation capacity to the local ecosystem and their growth rate.

A similar project was launched in Nigeria for the rehabilitation of a cement plant quarry. More than 200 000 trees have been planted and approximately 100 000 trees should be planted every year for the next three years. The first harvests are expected in 2017 and most of the trees selected for the project will grow

back naturally without new plantings being required. Ultimately, a 10% target substitution rate of traditional fuel has been set for this project.

The ‘Eco-design’ of agroforestry New and more ambitious projects are being studied for the development of the agroforestry sector.

This entails coordinating various agricultural and forestry projects with external partners interested in the primary product in the projects (wood, food). Lafarge will use the waste residues on the plantations as alternative fuel (biomass fuel). In certain countries (for example, Nigeria and Tanzania), where deforestation is a real challenge, national and regional authorities are very willing to contribute to and facilitate this type of project.

From ready-to-use waste materials to ambitious projects involving many partners treating large quantities of waste materials

Ready-to-use waste materialsMost of the first waste materials were recovered (thermal and/or material recovery). They were ready-to-use, i.e. ready to be recovered. Many customers would contact cement plants directly with the purpose of finding a treatment solution for their waste materials. In many cases, the incentive in this approach was to comply with local regulations.

At that time the aim of the supply process focused mainly on establishing contacts, followed by commercial agreements.

This situation still exists in countries where waste management is not very regulated and where the recycling and recovery processes are new practices. In such a case, cement producers can use an educational approach with their prospective customers to make them aware that waste recovery processes in cement plants are a reliable and structured sector of activity.

An example of this successful approach is the agreement signed between the National Union of Pharmacists, the Ministry of the Environment and Lafarge Algeria. This agreement stipulates the recovery of expired medicine at the Algerian cement plant. Lafarge established a partnership with a local waste collection company to provide an integrated solution to waste management problems. This waste recovery operation is the first of its kind in Algeria’s cement industry and it is fully in line with the clear strategy of the Algerian Ministry of Environment to develop recycling and recovery activities.

Waste pre-treatment The addition of the pre-treatment step before the waste material is delivered to a cement plant was accompanied by new industrial pre-treatment installations and a new supply strategy.

After more than 20 years, during which time the pre-treatment activity was completely externalised,

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Lafarge changed its strategy in two ways: the pre-treatment activities have been partially internalised and the supply activity of alternative fuel and raw materials to the cement plants has been structured and has become a business in itself. Dedicated teams and commercial propositions have been developed. This organisation exists in every country where Lafarge has a waste recovery activity in view of adapting it to the local context

The term ‘business’ is to be understood as also referring to customer-service innovation; a central team is in charge of technical innovations, in particular drying the waste materials; another aspect relates to financial innovations. This central team collaborates with the cement process experts to provide alternative fuels and raw materials suiting the cement production process but also adapting the process to alternative fuels and raw materials.

Ambitious projects jointly undertaken by waste producers and LafargeThe new supply strategy and the impressive ambition for 2020 using alternative fuels has led to securing supplies by creating partnerships as far upstream as possible: agreements with cities to recover municipal waste, or support to local agriculture for production of biomass.

Using biomass or municipal waste as alternative fuel instead of traditional fuel presents a number of challenges. Projects are often complex and involve an important number of different players.

Public officials are important actors for the agroforestry projects and the treatment of municipal waste in terms of soil management and economic and political incentives. Partnerships with investors are also necessary to finance such big projects with long service lives. In the case of municipal waste, local actors specialised in collection and recycling activities are also associated with the project. In the case of agroforestry, not only do international and national biomass experts for the forestry sector contribute by fine-tuning the feasibility of the projects, defining the species to be planted and managing farmers, but local farmer associations are also very much involved from the beginning of the project in view of long-term collaborations.

Piloting a project with so many actors is indeed a challenge in terms of coordination – for example in Uganda, where Lafarge is involved in working on a multitude of small plots growing coffee beans alongside 40 000 farmers. The complexity of the projects requires a specific mode of management to be set up with dedicated allotted means. The duration of farm cycles is also a critical element: the economic and financial model has to take longer lead times into account before returns on investment.

From economical motivation to interwoven economic, environment and social benefitsAlthough there is an economic incentive to the recovery of waste materials in cement plants, there are unquestionable environmental benefits: reduced volume of landfilled waste materials, reduced transportation of fuels, reduction of CO

2 emissions, etc. Little by little, it has become less simple to classify the benefits of developing this activity as either economic or environmental because they have become very much interwoven together.

More recently, and in particular for projects involving the treatment of municipal waste and the development of agroforestry, the social aspect of this activity has become crucial.

Most Lafarge projects secure its long-term energy supplies and increase plant competitiveness. At the same time they also contribute to economic development around Lafarge cement plants by creating local jobs in the waste collection and treatment activity. Furthermore, they contribute to preserving the environment, particularly by decreasing the quantity of

Expired medicine collection in a pharmacy close to the Lafarge cement plant in Algeria.

Lafarge employees sorting municipal waste on a pre-treatment platform in Egypt.

dumped waste and reducing soil, water and air pollution. In 2014, Lafarge’s CO2 emissions were reduced by more than 2 million t compared to 2013 thanks to biomass recovery.

The last example of co-development of coffee in Uganda is a particular illustration of the three interwoven dimensions: economic, environmental and social. Backed by the government’s determination to develop a coffee sector, Lafarge initiated a project aimed at helping farmers to produce coffee plants around the cement plant located in the southwest, the husk of which can be used as alternative fuel. Lafarge did not provide the land in this project; rather it sells the coffee plants at a reduced price to local farmers. The Group has thus sold more than 13 million coffee plants to more than 40 000 farmers since 2012. These farmers should then be able to very substantially increase their income by selling their coffee grains for export and selling the husks to Lafarge for recovery as alternative fuel. The first harvests should be picked this year and the husks will, in time, make up more than 20% of the energy required to run the cement plant.

More recently, the agroforestry projects being studied aim at reducing deforestation moreover increase forestation, producing agricultural and forestry products with high added value, developing food crops and generating biomass that can then be recovered as fuel in cement kilns. These projects would allow local farmers to create a market for food crops. They would be supplied with the necessary land, provided technical advice and ensured that the crops would be bought by their industrial partner. Lafarge would ensure both the purchase of the waste products and then use up to more than 25% substitution rate of alternative fuel from the biomass instead of traditional fuel.

Regardless of the type of selected project, it has to generate considerable benefits for the local communities in terms of prosperity and wellbeing to ensure that these communities adhere to the project in the long-term. These projects are by nature reciprocal commitments between Lafarge, the local communities and local authorities.

SummaryToday, everyone in the world, regardless of geographical locations, consumes a lot of material and generates a lot of waste, more than half of which (even all in many countries) goes to landfill. The development of a circular economy is one answer to the problems raised by the current linear model: ‘take, make, use and dispose’.

The cement industry uses alternative fuels and raw materials derived from waste materials in its manufacturing process, through a combination of material recycling and energy recovery.

Since this activity began in the 1970s, the recovery of waste materials in a cement plant has been based on local supplies of the waste materials. In contrast, however, it was then diversified in certain sectors: industrial waste in industrial countries, agricultural and municipal waste in all countries. The specifications of acceptable waste materials have evolved due to the development of the pre-treatment platforms. It then became possible to produce alternative fuel meeting the relatively constant specifications of a cement plant.

More recently, Lafarge’s challenging ambitions in sustainable development and, in particular, the recovery of waste materials have led to the development of projects initiated by Lafarge and very much associating and implicating national and local authorities, recycling companies, farmers, local communities and investors. These examples of local actions generate real economic, environmental and social benefits: safe recovery of a broad range of waste materials and creation of local employment in local communities. It also reduces energy costs and improves competitiveness for Lafarge, while preserving natural resources and fighting climate change.

Could all these small steps at the local level become a giant leap for all of humanity?

IntroductionIndia has the world’s second largest cement industry with an installed capacity of around 360 million tpy. After growing at around 8% for about a decade, the industry’s growth slowed down to 4%. The sector is now on the cusp of a recovery buoyed by recent government

initiatives, such as announcing the development of 100 smart cities and an additional Rs.70 000 crores to be invested in infrastructure in the Union Budget for 2015 – 16.

The northern Indian state of Rajasthan is home to approximately 15% of India’s total cement capacity. This

Building Blocks to Expansion

BUILDINGBLOCKS

TO

EXPANSION

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WONDER CEMENT,

INDIA, TALKS

THROUGH THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF

ITS 3.25 MILLION TPY

CEMENT PLANT IN

RAJASTHAN AND ITS

PLANS FOR FUTURE

GROWTH.

is because some 2.5 billion t of cement grade limestone reserves can be found there. Additionally, Rajasthan enjoys significant location advantages, making it the gateway to the entire northern market.

It was therefore natural that when the world’s largest marble producer – the RK Marble Group –

decided to establish a cement plant through its company Wonder Cement, it would opt to set it up in this state.

The path to a successful startup Wonder Cement zeroed in on Nimbahera in District Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, as the location for its plant.

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In 2012, the company commissioned a plant with an installed capacity of 3.25 million tpy. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was established in a record time of 18 months compared to the usual 36 months taken to establish a plant with a similar capacity.

“We not only had a well-defined vision but a clear cut roadmap to execute the vision. A lot of planning went into the entire exercise, but execution was really the key. The plant was ready to produce cement in 21 months and clinker in 18 months. The industry norm is about 28 to 36 months,” explains Mr Ashok Patni, Chairman of Wonder Cement Ltd.

Overcoming obstaclesThe road was far from easy but the obstacles were not insurmountable. A major problem that project developers face in India is land acquisition, for which a number of statutory approvals are required. Even if these are approved there is no guarantee that the project will take off and see the light of day. In the case of cement companies, the area of land required for mining limestone can be huge. Communities that

inhabit this land often resist handing it over to those that have legitimately acquired it.

To overcome any potential problems, Wonder Cement placed a particular focus on CSR. The company built confidence through a host of activities, such as sponsoring school education, working on women’s empowerment, farmer training, as well as skills development, thus establishing a relationship with the local communities. The company also created a feeling of partnership with farmers in the area by advising them on how to improve the yield on their farms.

Another confidence boosting measure adopted by Wonder Cement when it came to land acquisition was that the company negotiated directly with the farmers whose land was being purchased.

Speed of decision making The company realised that speedy execution was the key for a project of this scale. As Wonder Cement was a small organisation it did not have a vast bureaucracy and the company simplified matters further by constituting a small core team and empowering it to make quick decisions. Quality was the watchword at every stage of the project and so Wonder Cement selected Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as contractor. The company hired about 20 speedy cranes for the fast execution of the project. When it came to employing contractors and suppliers, Wonder Cement looked beyond just price, deciding not to simply opt for the lowest bidder to cut costs. The company thereby had all the building blocks in place for the speedy execution of the project.

This was also backed up by transparency and fairness. Paying for labour on time was crucial; this was one of the biggest incentives for labourers and contractors to deliver on schedule. This in turn hastened execution.

Wonder Cement implemented an appropriate system of checks and balances. It deployed personnel at the workshop of its suppliers to monitor the manufacturing of parts and equipment to ensure that delivery remained on schedule. The company placed an agency at the project site to monitor and point out any potential issues so that corrective actions could be taken immediately.

“At no stage did we compromise on quality. Yes, we wanted to set up the plant fast, but not at the cost of quality. We were very clear that being fair was the best way forward. We viewed it as enlightened self-interest,” says Mr Jagdish Chandra Toshniwal, Executive Director, Wonder Cement Ltd.

State-of-the-art equipmentOne of the most important steps in the project was choosing a technology partner. The company tied up with ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions and Gebr. Pfeiffer, Germany, two of the world leaders in cement technology.

Wonder Cement plant at Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.

Fully automatic robotic lab – the first of its kind in North India – using German technology.

Global PublicationGlobal PublicationThat was a sample of World Cement’s June issue

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