World Cement - November 2018

November 2018

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World Cement

“We already have about a 30% market share

within white cement and we want to increase our

capacity to achieve our ambition of capturing 100%

of the market,” said Sultan Al Dhuwaihi, Chief

Projects Officer at SWCC.

At first, the project team intended to construct

an entirely new line specifically for white cement.

However, following discussions with FLSmidth, it

was quickly determined that converting one of the

existing grey lines to produce white cement would

be a more economical option.

Reusing assets

FLSmidth has developed a concept for modifying the

existing equipment typically used in grey cement

production in a cost-efficient way, with the result

that it can be used for the dual production of both

white and grey cement. In recent years, FLSmidth

has conducted several such conversions, notably for

Adana Cement in Turkey.

It was decided that, before selecting on the

proposed solution, RCC representatives should

visit the Adana Cement plant in order to observe

the plant in full operation. This visit, along with

FLSmidth’s track record with RCC, led to the decision

to convert the existing grey cement line to one of

dual production, overriding the team’s original plan

to build a completely new production line. In the

early stages of the project, testing of raw materials

Conversion facts

In order to convert one of Riyadh Cement’s existing grey

cement lines to a dual process cement line for white

and grey cement, the kiln and preheater area must be

modified. These modifications include the following:

Minor modifications to the preheater tower.

Installation of the FLSmidth Duoflex

burner, which

is ideal for white cement production.

The addition of quenching equipment, including

water pumps.

Establishing a complete electrical package,

including modifications to the control system.

FLSmidth gets closer to customers in Saudi Arabia

The new FLSmidth office on the coast of the Arabian Gulf in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, improves the support and

service the company can provide to its customers. It also strengthens its cement and mining offerings in the growing

Saudi Arabian market.

A new FLSmidth office in Saudi Arabia houses 12 members of staff, all of whom are dedicated to serving and

supporting customers. The team includes a service engineer for packing, loading, and palletising, as well as a service

engineer who oversees grinding rollers, tyres for cement, and mining equipment. Customers are encouraged to take

advantage of the advanced kiln inspection equipment and tools, which now have a permanent base in Saudi Arabia,

enabling the facilitation of fast and efficient service.

More immediate support

Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Middle East, accounting for 50% of the GDP of the Gulf Cooperation

Council. Currently, Saudi Arabia stands at 13 in the largest cement producer rankings, with an installed capacity of

more than 70 million tpy.

The large mining sector in Saudi Arabia is dominated by government-owned Ma’aden, which has major

production facilities of aluminium, gold, phosphate, coal, zinc, and copper. As part of the Saudi Vision 2030,

mining in Saudi Arabia has been identified as a key area of growth and is expected to be a key contributor to the

diversification of the kingdom’s economy.

“FLSmidth is today servicing more than 75% of the 44 kilns in Saudi Arabia and we are committed to continuing

to support and upgrade our valued Saudi Arabia cement and mining customers,” said Simon Jensen, Head of the

FLSmidth Group in the Middle East. “Our permanent local presence in Al-Khobar will now offer customers more

immediate service and support. We look forward to working even more closely with them and strengthening our

working relationships.”

Instead of building a new line, the conversion of an

existing line proved to be a more economical option.