Hope celebrates 2nd anniversary with £14 million investment announcement

The UK’s Hope Construction Materials is celebrating its second anniversary by announcing that it is investing £14 million into projects to increase production at the Hope cement plant in Derbyshire. The plant has been operated by Hope Construction Materials – an independent supplier of cement and concrete – since January 2013.

Hope Construction Materials' Industrial Director Ashley Bryan inside the recently completed 20 000 t capacity clinker store at Hope Works in Derbyshire – part of a major £14 million investment programme at the site.

The £14 million is going towards a number of initiatives that will enhance the plant’s sustainability and the efficiency of its operations. The investment programme for the plant will enable the company to fulfill its growth objectives over the coming years.

Key projects:

• Completion of a multi-million pound system to increase the amount of sustainable waste-derived fuels the operation can accommodate.
• An internal overhaul of the iconic Hope chimney, which will involve the construction and use of a second temporary chimney for a number of months.
• Construction of a new storage facility to increase stock holding of cement clinker. This will help secure a consistent supply of cement to the construction industry.
• Improvements to the way the raw materials are fed into the twin kilns – the 70 m long, 4.9 m dia. rotating steel cylinders.
• Maintenance and refurbishment of a large section of one of the two kilns. The delivery and installation of this section of kiln and the ‘tyre’ needed to help the kiln rotate have involved months of project planning, complex transport logistics and the use of oversize cranes onsite.

“We are very excited to be involved in the largest investment programme onsite for many years. This works has operated for more than 85 years and directly employs nearly 200 people, making a massive contribution to the UK construction industry, producing 1.5 million t of cement at the site in 2014,” said Ed Cavanagh, Hope Works Operations Manager.

“The installation of the new kiln shell section is a spectacular piece of engineering involving several teams and very careful planning. We are delighted with the way that this individual project has evolved and look forward to seeing the others progress to schedule. Once this programme is complete, we will have an upgraded production plant, ready for the challenges of an increasingly busy time for building in the UK,” he added.

Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/07012015/hope-cement-celebrates-second-anniversary-with-investment-announcement-97/