Metals & Minerals Rotary Kiln Projects Heaviest in Europe

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Written by Eric Funderburk for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Europe is the leading destination for Metals & Minerals construction involving rotary kilns, where many of the projects involve upgrades, rebuilds and modernizations to increase unit efficiency.

Key Piece of Equipment

Rotary kilns are important pieces of equipment used by multiple sectors within the Metals & Minerals Industry, including cement and alumina production, as well as heating ores for purification in the mining process. Industrial Info Resources data find more than US$1.7 billion worth of current and future rotary kiln projects globally. Multiple projects involving rotary kilns are underway or planned throughout the world, with a preponderance of rebuilds and modernizations of existing kilns, while emissions-control projects also are becoming more prevalent.

Current Projects

It's combined rebuild-environmental projects that give Portugal the leading edge for on-the-ground rotary kiln projects that are presently underway. There, cement producer Companhia Geral De Cal e Cimento SA is rebuilding and reequipping two rotary kilns at its 3.4-ton-per-year cement plant in Leiria. Both of the 2,000-ton-per-day kilns 1 and 2 are being rebuilt with upgrades to energy, heat and control systems that will reduce CO2 emissions in the cement production process. The rebuild of Kiln 1 is expected to be completed this summer, followed by Kiln 2 toward the end of the year.

Other current rotary kiln projects include modernizations at cement plants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. One of the few current U.S. rotary kiln projects actually involves the replacement of two rotary kilns at a quicklime plant in Bonne Terre, Missouri, with a new, more energy efficient vertical kiln. The shutdowns and kiln replacement are expected to be completed this year.

Future Rotary Kiln Projects

Industrial Info Resources is tracking more than US$1.5 billion worth of rotary kiln projects in the planning and engineering stages, although not all of these will move forward as planned. Europe leads the world for both the number and value of future rotary kiln projects, led by the U.K., where Heidelburg Materials UK is planning substantial addition and rebuild projects at a cement works in Lincolnshire, although Industrial Info Resources has rated these projects as having a low probability(0-69%) of moving forward as planned.

Eastern European nations such as Belarus, the Czech Republic and Slovakia represent prime areas for rotary kiln projects within Europe. A Belarusian cement plant is considering the addition of a 5,000-ton-per-day dry process kiln to increase Portland cement production by 1.8 million tons per day, although this project isn't planned to kick off for a few years.

Expected to start this year in the Czech Republic is cement giant Holcim's rebuild of Rotary Kiln 3 and upgrades to Kiln 4 at its Cizkovice cement works that will increase efficiencies for both units and reduce nitrous oxide emissions from Kiln 3.

In addition to multiple rebuild, upgrade and addition projects, Industrial Info is tracking dozens of planned rotary kiln maintenance shutdowns planned for this year and 2027.

Key Takeaways

• Current and future rotary kiln projects are dominated by rebuild, upgrade and modernization projects for existing kilns.
• Europe is a prime location for rotary kiln projects, particularly Eastern Europe.
• One of the biggest rotary kiln projects currently underway involves the rebuild and environmental upgrades to two kilns at a cement plant in Portugal.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).