Inaugural Awards Honor Industry Supplier Achievements in Advanced Cement Manufacturing

CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2018 – The Portland Cement Association (PCA) today announced the winners of the 2018 Chairman’s Manufacturing Performance Awards, which recognize PCA Associate Member company accomplishments in the advancement of cement manufacturing over the previous year.  PCA Associate Members are suppliers, engineers and consultants that support cement companies in the production of high quality cement in the most energy efficient and environmentally sound way possible.

“Cement in various forms may has been around for centuries, but we are always looking for better, safer, cleaner and more efficient ways to manufacture high quality products for our customers,” said President of Continental Cement Tom Beck, who also serves as PCA Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the PCA Manufacturing Technical Committee (MTC). “Cement producers don’t go it alone, and often work with companies like those being honored today that can bring the latest science and technology to bear on improving how cement is made.”

Presented at the PCA Summer Committee Meetings in Chicago, the awards recognize achievements in three main areas: innovative products, unique processes and best-in-class practices.  Entrants presented to a panel of PCA member judges earlier this year during a joint meeting of the PCA Environment & Energy and MTC committees.

1st place: FLSmidth Inc. – For development of an innovative down draft top-stage cyclone design. This designs sends de-dusted gas and material out through the cyclone bottom. That lowers upstream airflow, reduces the pressure drop, and minimizes the structural load. This design provides increased capacity, lower upper stage pressure drops, higher upper stage efficiencies and better specific fuel consumption.

2nd place: RHI MAGNESITA – For the innovation of using Panels of High MgO refractory systems to control excessive coating formations in Basic and Non-basic refractory systems. This innovation can reduce off-peak production and kiln downtime that normally would be required to eliminate these coating formations.  

3rd place: BWF Envirotec – For development of the Pulse Flow Analyzer, which measures and analyzes baghouse cleaning pulses to the thousandth of a second to deliver hard data, drive results, and achieve best in class.

To learn more about the PCA Associate Member program, or about the Chairman’s Manufacturing Awards, visit http://www.cement.org/awards/2018-chairmans-manufacturing-performance-award-winners

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