July 2010

New 'Green' Kiln is Fired Up

The dawn of the new 2010 decade saw the big switch on for Tunstead’s new £13.4 million lime kiln.

This major investment by Tarmac in ‘greener’ technology replaces existing rotary kilns, which started operating in 1955.

“The new Maerz kiln is much more energy efficient and creates less CO2 and atmospheric emissions per tonne of lime than the existing rotary lime kilns”, said Lime and Powders plant manager, Paul Rands.

After completing the start-up in January, the Maerz kiln began producing high purity quicklime that has many different applications, including industrial effluent treatment, concrete building blocks, steel making and soil stabilisation.

It took nearly two years to complete the design and construction of the new kiln, which was engineered by the Swiss engineering company Maerz Ofenbau AG. During building work one of the largest mobile cranes in the UK was brought in to complete the highest section of the structure, which is 43 metres tall.

The company is used to operating this type of kiln at its Hindlow site, where two Maerz kilns have been used since 1981. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For more information please contact Gwil Neal by tel: 0207 9638000 or e-mail gwilym.neal@mineralproducts.org

The BLA is a constituent body of the Mineral Products Association Ltd., the trade association for the aggregates, asphalt and ready-mix concrete industries. The BLA represents the interests of six member companies, responsible for producing more than 95% of the lime sold in the UK. The BLA members are Hanson, Lhoist UK Ltd, Singleton Birch, Steetley Dolomite Ltd, Tarmac Buxton Lime & Cement UK and Totternhoe Lime and Stone Company Ltd.