Holcim's new Bayel quarry to supply projects in Ile-de-France

During the first half of 2014, Holcim France, specialised in the production of cement, aggregate and concrete, will set up a transport solution that combines rail and river traffic to transport construction materials between quarries in Bayel and the branched terminal installation in Vernou.

ECR, which won the three-year contract, will offer three trains of 1,500-2,500tonnes/week. Once unloaded in Vernou, the materials are then sent to Holcim Bétons by barge.

By 2015-2016, 1 million tonnes could be se

Some 14 years after the project was initially considered, Holcim Granulats is expected to put its limestone quarry in Champ-Carré in Bayel into service at the end of 2014 or start of 2015. Some 15 jobs are expected to be created at the site. The project was initially hit by delays concerning land ownership, followed by works to made the site viable in terms of access. Most recently, train loading and sidings facilities have been connected to the Paris-Basel railway line. Eventually, the installation is set

In order to highlight its virtuous practices at its gypsum quarries, plasterboard producer Placoplatre (Saint-Gobain) organised visits to its extraction sites in Le Pin-Villeparisis and Cormeilles-en-Parisis in Ile-de-France. According to Placoplatre, the Paris basin holds three-quarters of French gypsum deposits, although more than 80% of these deposits are not available. The quarry in Le Pin-Villeparisis has been operated since 1822 and supplies 600,000tonnes of gypsum each year to Placoplatre's Vaujours

Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies, which develops low-carbon cement technologies, has appointed François de Gliniasty as technical and commercial promoter for the Ile-de-France region.