Nepalese plant resumes operations following kiln shutdown

In Nepal, the Hetauda Cement plant has resumed operations following a three-week shutdown owing to technical problems in the kiln.

It seems the problem was related to the refractory, as a senior official at the plant is quoted as saying “We were compelled to replace the bricks every three months”. According to the website República, the plant has faced a number of problems as the machinery is ‘worn out’. Last year, the plant stopped for a couple of months while a reverse air baghouse was installed to reduce pollution around the plant. The plant produced only 2 million sacks of cement instead of the targeted 3.2 million sacks. However, despite this most recent shutdown, the plant says it has stocks of 100 000 sacks of cement and clinker.

This must come as something of a relief to the Nepalese cement industry, which saw closures of two plants back in August for manufacturing substandard cement products. A further 16 plants failed to acquire the standards mark and faced a ban on production and sales.

Adapted from news report by Katherine Guenioui

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/asia-pacific-rim/21102013/nepalese_plant_resumes_operations_following_kiln_problem_311/