Cementos Cosmos, part of the Votorantim Group in Spain, has restarted the kiln at its Toral de los Vados cement plant. The plant will now resume clinker production following a two-month optimisation project to increase efficiency at the plant. The project represents an investment of approximately €2.5 million. The main modification work was carried out by FLSmidth and included the replacement of the kiln support and a 14 m section of the kiln.
In 2014, the kiln was active for nine months, producing 667 000 t of clinker. The Plant Director, Jaime Santoalla, expects similar production volumes in 2015, noting that cement consumption levels will be dependent on the recovery of the country’s construction sector, which is yet to fully materialise.
In the wake of the decline in local demand, Cementos Cosmos has been focusing on export markets such as Brazil, Haiti and Ghana. According to Santoalla, although export opportunities can be difficult to predict, the company is working to strengthen its international presence in order to offset the downturn facing the domestic market.
Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham