March 12, 2009

LAFARGE CANADA INC

Cement products are shipped from Lafarge’s Exshaw, Alta. plant to markets as far away as North Dakota, Alaska and Western Ontario. The current expansion of the plant will involve installation of a new line of kilns that will be modernized and upgraded to new environmental standards.

Lafarge plans major expansion of Alberta plant

30 months of heavy civil work

PETER KENTER

correspondent

Lafarge is planning a substantial increase in capacity for its Exshaw Cement Plant located in Exshaw, Alta., about 80 kilometres west of Calgary.

Plans for the expansion include an increase in capacity from the current 1.3 million tonnes per year to 2.2 million tonnes per year.

“The increased capacity is related to our desire to supply the western market, including western Canada and the northern tier states from local sources,” says Ron Braun, vice-president, business development, western region with Lafarge North America. Cement products are shipped from the plant to markets as far away as North Dakota, Alaska and Western Ontario.

The expansion will involve installation of a new line of kilns that will be modernized and upgraded to new environmental standards. “Emissions such as sulphur dioxide and particulate matter will be reduced in spite of a capacity increase of approximately 60 per cent,” says Braun.

He notes that greenhouse gases will also be reduced by supplying the western market with a product produced locally, instead of being imported from greater distances. Limestone is mined from Exshaw Mountain located near to the cement plant and transported to the facility by conveyor. Shale is hauled from a nearby quarry a few kilometres away. The plant was first opened in 1906.

An older section of the plant constructed prior to the 1970s was recently demolished, but new construction can’t begin until public consultation is completed and Alberta Environment reviews the company’s expansion plans.

“Once we complete the regulatory review, we’ll also evaluate market conditions to determine the most appropriate way to proceed with the expansion and to reduce project capital costs,” says Braun.

“When construction gets underway, we’ll see a lot of heavy construction work including heavy civil and mechanical, probably over a period which typically lasts from 30 to 36 months.”

Print | Email | Comment