Polysius In Guatemala Cement factory in the land of volcanoes

In full swing | - the construction work above the Rio Pachún. The new plant here will soon be producing cement for the entire region.

Polysius, a ThyssenKrupp Technologies subsidiary, received an order from Cementos Progreso, a leading Central American cement manufacturer, to build a turnkey cement plant near San Juan in Guatemala. The factory is designed to produce up to 4,500 tons of cement clinker per day. Participating in the project are the Polysius companies in Mexico, Spain, Argentina, the USA and Germany.

Rugged territory | - The narrow access road is around 2,000 meters above sea level in the densely populated highlands of Guatemala.

Reduction in emissions

In addition to all process machinery, the scope of the order also includes numerous ancillary buildings such as laboratories and workshops. Alongside the POLRO rotary kiln and the POLYTRACK clinker cooler, individual components to be supplied include above all three QUADROPOL mills. Furthermore, modern technology to reduce emissions will enable Polysius to meet the high environmental standards specified by the customer. Work on the project will be challenging for all involved, whether they are responsible for the complex machinery, the construction of the buildings or the logistics. Before the cement plant can go into operation in just a few years, over two million cubic meters of earth will first have to be moved, says Andreas Claes, overall project manager. Structures built on the loose volcanic soil also have to meet the highest earthquake resistance standards. During the rainy season hurricanes frequently cause landslides and road erosion. Together with the abundance of raw materials, the site’s advantageous location to the northwest of Guatemala City was a key reason for going ahead with the project. Furthermore, major state-funded infrastructure projects are planned nearby. By agreement with the customer, start-up of the factory is scheduled for 2012.
Fabian Schmidt

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