The construction of the new line at the existing Barroso site is part of the group’s strategy to reduce cost per tonne of cement produced, while improving quality and efficiency, in order to operate profitably in a low investment environment.
The new line in Barroso is said to be the most modern in Brazil, and equipment includes the world's largest vertical cement mill, with 450 tonnes/hour production capacity; the horomill, in which the raw materials are refined and chemical corrections are made with low power consumption, and a fully automated quality control laboratory.
The plant’s total capacity is 3.6 million tonnes of cement/year.
The new line will allow the reduction of total costs per tonne of cement by around 25% from 2014 to 2017.
“The opening of Barroso is key to our strategy in Brazil and will allow us to further improve our cost structure while we continue to supply our customers with our high-quality solutions,” says Eric Olsen, CEO of LafargeHolcim.
“For example, we are providing solutions for various projects related to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro including the Olympic Village, the Galeão International Airport as well as new metro and bus lines.”
In 2015, LafargeHolcim says it delivered sustained performance in countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina, and while it believes that Brazil will remain a challenging market in 2016, it has taken a number of measures to adapt its presence to the changing landscape.
Barroso is strategically located in the state of Minas Gerais between Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro in the country’s most important South-Eastern market.
LafargeHolcim entered the Brazilian market in 1951, and todayit owns five cement plants; four grinding stations, and one blender in Brazil with a capacity of around 12 million tonnes/ year and is also present in aggregates and ready-mix concrete.
