Cement Manufacturing

The raw materials required to manufacture the clinker are (limestone, bauxite ore, iron ore and sand). They are mixed and grinded in certain proportions so as to be converted into a soft mixture, then transported to storage silos, then moved to the heat exchanger within five phases. The procedures to manufacture the clinker begins with the interaction between the mixture and heat exchanger to complete the first process which is “initial heating” of the mixture, and then the process of calcination where the calcium carbonate is converted to calcium oxide. The oxides are then fed into a large rotary kiln at a temperature of 1400° Celsius. The interaction is then completed by the process of burning the oxides of the raw materials by which these oxides are combined and the clinker material is manufactured. Manufacture of clinker is summarized in three processes (initial heating, calcinations and burning). The clinker is then transported to coolers to reduce its temperature, thereafter it will be mixed and grinded with (3.5%) of gypsum to produce the cement, and then stored in silos designated for cement. Finally, it is marketed either as bulk in designated trucks or packed in bags.

Company’s Plant &Progression of Production Capacity

First: The Cement Mills

The Company began by constructing the first plant for cement manufacture in East Shuaiba Industrial District, which started production on 15th May 1972 after building two mills for clinker and gypsum grinding and cement manufacture, with production capacity of 300 Thousand tons of cement per year.

 

Towards implementing the Company’s ambitious plans of coping with the urban development and the strategies of development projects in the country, the Company had to improve its production so as to provide the cement material to the local market. Therefore, the Company carried out several expansions in the plant to increase production capacity of milling starting from 1978 and continued as such by establishing several new milling production lines on progressive phases. The latest phase was performed by the end of 2009 when the Company completed the construction of a new clinkerisation unit, thus the total production capacity of the plant reached 3.8 Million tons of cement per year, while the overall operational capacity reached more than 5 Million tons of cement per year. Accordingly, Kuwait Cement Company became the most important pillar in the national industry edifice, and main supporter of the development projects and urban movement in the country.

Second: The Kiln producing “Clinker”

In line with the Company’s policy of completing its production lines, building an integrated cement industry and achieving its most important strategic objectives of localizing the cement industry in the country, the Company constructed on the land of its plant at East Shuaiba Industrial district, two huge kilns for the production of Clinker (the main material for cement manufacture). The first kiln began operation in 2001 with production capacity of 2.5 Million tons per year. The said plant was built and equipped with the latest technological capabilities and is deemed as one of the most important events that accompanied the Company’s march over the past four decades. Moreover, the Company established two mills for the raw materials with capacity of 245 Tons/Hour for each, two silos for clinker storage with capacity of 50 Thousand tons for each, and pre-heater with a height of 126 meters. Furthermore, construction of this kiln was carried out in conjunction with installing an equipment to unload and move the raw materials from the vessels directly to the kiln’s feeding site inside the plant using a shaded conveyor belt with length of 780 meters, height of 10 Meters across the road, with design capacity of 1500 Tons/hour. The system used in this conveyor belt is deemed amongst the most efficient in the world with respect to handling the raw materials.

 

Since the Company needs double quantities of Clinker to cover the variance resulting from expanding the cement grinding capacity, the Company constructed a second kiln to produce Clinker. The trial commissioning of this kiln started in July 2013 and its commercial production started in 2014 within the current site of the plant with production capacity of Clinker of 2.5 Million tons per year, which when added to the current capacity the total production capacity of Clinker becomes 5 Million tons per annum. In addition, to installing two mills for the raw materials with capacity of 300 Tons/ hour for each, and two silos for storing the Clinker with capacity of 60 Thousand tons, and pre-heater tower with height of 151.5 meters. This plant is deemed as one the largest factories in Gulf region that acts as independent unit which the State of Kuwait is proud of. As such, the Company became able to supply the Clinker required to produce 16 Thousand tons of cement per day, hence the Company realized its objectives of localizing the cement industry and securing the needs of cement for the citizens, the projects of the State’s strategic development plans as well as the private projects.

Packaging

The cement is packed automatically at the plants of Kuwait Cement Company using either of these two methods:

First:   Packing from the silos designated for transporting the bulk cement, which is carried out automatically using special equipment and get weighed electronically.

Second: Packing the cement in bags of 50 kilograms each. The empty bags are transported and packaged automatically using rotary packaging machines. Thereafter, the bags are weighed by using precise electronic method, then moved via conveyor belts of multiple movements, and then loaded automatically onboard the vehicles using special equipment controlled by computer that counts the number of bags to be loaded.

Quality Control & Production Monitoring

All types of cement are manufactured at the plants of Kuwait Cement Company and they are of high quality and conforming to the Kuwaiti, British and American standard specifications. For that purpose, the Company begins by importing the raw materials with special specifications to ensure manufacture of high quality cement, together with implementing quality control system around the clock, supported by electronic monitoring system to all phases of operation and manufacture. Thereafter, regular tests are carried out at the Company’s physical and chemical laboratories which are equipped with the latest equipment, and where a number of scientifically specialized and highly efficient technicians work. At these laboratories, the produced Clinker and Cement get tested to ensure their quality and conformity to the standard specifications, together with recording the data regularly using the computer, as well as monitoring them.

 

In order to document the products’ quality, the Company renews the certificate of specifications of its products by performing regular tests at the laboratories of the Ministry of Public Works in accordance with the standard scales and specifications, hence ensure providing the clients a national strategic product with high quality and consistent specifications.

Quality Means “Kuwaiti Cement”

Following establishment of the first Clinker plant, all phases of manufacturing the cement are carried out completely domestically at the Company’s plant in Shuaiba district. Accordingly, the Company launched the slogan “Kuwaiti Cement” to identify all its products and signify that they are produced locally, hence affirm that it is the only industrial national Company that produces the cement completely inside Kuwait.

 

Moreover, Kuwait Cement Company obtained the quality mark from the Public Authority for Industry for its cement products, and also ISO 9001:2008 Certificate for using the latest technological methods as well as the best quality raw materials for the manufacture of cement, which distinguishes the Company’s cement products as being of high quality, strong , durable and consistent in terms of specifications, the matter which granted the Company excellence and leadership over the past forty four (44) years under the slogan (Quality means “Kuwaiti Cement“).

 

This came about due to the Company’s keenness to realize its ambitions of fulfilling the wishes and requirements of its clients represented by getting the finest and best types of cement thus ensure them safety and security when using its products, in addition to preserving the top position in the field of cement manufacture.

Environment Friendly Industry

In 2002, the company selected a new logo that goes in line with the company’s policy. The logo’s design combines between sturdy building construction and global trend towards industries that are environment friendly, as the logo shows an image of tree-leaf. The blue and gray colors were chosen to indicate the gray color of the cement, while the blue color symbolizes the quality and homogeneity of this product.

 

In confirmation of the company’s keenness to assume its national responsibilities towards safe environment and adoption of standards restricting environmental pollution, it has embraced using advanced technology and modern techniques in the domain of limiting environmental pollution in its plants by using highly efficient static filters and capacitors. Also, the adoption of handling operations using unloading equipment for the transport of raw materials from the vessels directly to the site of feeding the kiln inside the plant through a covered conveyor belt, and it has allocated large investments towards the main control equipment in order to limit pollution in the second kiln project for the manufacture of clinker, which together with the equipment existing in its current plant has exceeded the sum of (12) Million Kuwaiti Dinars, which represents a source of pride for it, and hence the company was able to make the cement industry in Kuwait an exemplar to be followed and be among the industrial companies who are environment friendly.

 Environment Protection Procedure

Pollution control procedures include the following, mainly:

 

  • Highly efficient filter bag for the kiln gases which retains the dust of any gas with a quantity up to Nm3/hr 400,000 during normal operation.
  • Highly efficient electrostatic condenser for the Clinker’s cooler which retains dust with quantity up to Nm3/hr 200,000 during normal operation.
  • 140 filter bags to pick up dust resulting from moving the material at all points of materials’ transfer inside the plant.
  • Raw material silo with high storage capacity to increase reserve stock at a closed storage warehouse (storage capacity is 25,000 Metric Tons).
  • Closed cycle to cool water for all equipment.
  • Monitor gas emissions using measurement instruments according to European and American standards EPA/USA.
  • All transport mechanical machines are kept inside panels with covers to avoid dust emitted due to wind.
  • All conveyor belts have a vessel angle of 35 degrees and equipped with a special round sealant to avoid materials’ spills.
  • When transporting the crushed materials, we use lifting system that operates by compressed air and contains spiral transport machines.
  • The transport system used is distinguished for being equipped with devices to reuse the dust caused by the operation.
  • Pressure devices are equipped with sound-proof cover to ensure noise emission at a rate less than 85 DBA.
  • Water sprinklers to prevent dust emission in the reserve stock of raw materials.
  • When unloading the raw materials from the vessels, we use unloading machinery directly to the conveyer belt which is installed on the dock.
  • When moving the raw materials automatically from the port to the plant, we use covered conveyor belt to avoid impacts of dust emitted due to winds.

Investment in Environment

Kuwait Cement Company has invested the sum of 12 Million Kuwaiti Dinars to protect the environment within the plant situated at East Shuaiba Industrial district.

 

Kuwait Cement Company is keen on fulfilling its social and national responsibility by means of preserving safety of environment through adoption of optimal solutions to limit pollution. It is always committed to standard specifications to limit environmental pollution in its industries by spending on using the latest technological means towards realizing this goal.

 

The Company has also succeeded in making the cement industry in Kuwait an example to follow and be one of the industrial organizations and companies friendly to environment.

General Services and Training Center

The Company has always been keen to provide the services necessary for the workers of the plant. There is a free of charge medical clinic and a restaurant to serve meals at nominal prices. Moreover, the Company provides comfortable means of transportation for the workers from their residence to the plant and vice-versa, and also established a training center at the plant in Shuaiba which is equipped with all devices and apparatus designated for such activities so as to train the engineers and technicians who are working at the Company. The Company also conducts technical and administrative training programs, to enable its staff to keep abreast of the technological developments in the cement industry and in order to raise their capacities and develop their skills. The Company continues to delegate young Kuwaitis working for it to receive intensive training programs and courses, whether inside or outside Kuwait, as it believes in the importance of human investment and caring for the national element in managing and reinforcing the local industry growth and prosperity.

Bulk Terminal Facility at Mina Abdullah

The Company established a terminal for storing and selling Ordinary and Sulphate Resistant Type V bulk cement at West Shuaiba Industrial District (Abdullah Port), which began operation in February 2013 with operational capacity of (6) Thousand tons of cement per day. This station was established to enable large number of the Company’s clients to access the terminal site easily thus receive their needs of bulk cement without difficulty. This station is equipped with the latest technological means for loading the bulk cement on the electronic scale linked to computer system and programmed to identify the process of loading quickly and very accurately. It is worth mentioning that this station was designed and constructed by the Company’s own engineers, technical and administrative staff.