Lafarge Consolidates with Leading Edge Plant Production Control

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Lafarge North America (NYSE:LAF) (Toronto, Canada) has commissioned a newly modernized cement plant in Calera, Alabama. With an annual capacity of 1.4 million tons, the plant is a state-of-the-art facility where the whole production process from quarry to shipping is monitored and controlled. A highly automated laboratory performs raw material, fuel, and product sampling and testing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Output from the plant is aimed to establish Lafarge as the premier provider of high quality cement in the Southeast.

The commissioning of the Roberta plant comes two months after the opening of Lafarge's newly equipped cement plant and deep mine facility in Sugar Creek, Missouri. That facility, which has a 1 million tons per annum production capacity, has a leading edge control system that offers greater quality assurance, improved energy efficiency, and enhanced environmental measures. The cement output has improved performance characteristics and the plant has cut energy consumption rates by 50%. The on-site deep mine is estimated to contain feedstock supplies that will last for more than a century. Supplying the Midwest region, the plant has an annual payroll that brings over $9 million annually to the Kansas City area economy.

The Lafarge group worldwide (EURONEXT:LG, NYSE:LR) (Paris, France) had a 15.2% growth in sales for the year ending September, 2002. Cement was up 2.9% (North America -0.72%), aggregates and concrete down 1.4%, roofing down 5.1%, gypsum up 8.4% (42% price increases in North America). The group claims to be free of any asbestos related claims (in reaction to market rumors) and had an annual sales turnover of around $11.25 billion, of which $1.7 billion was due to the scope of consolidation changes after the takeover of Blue Circle cement.