Storage Automation Improving Raw Material Storage Plant Performance through Automation

To increase the performance of its Lixhe operation the Belgian cement manufacturer CBR, a subsidiary of the Heidelberg Cement Group, has automated its raw material storage by installing a warehouse management system together with a new 9-t process crane.

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The Belgian cement manufacturer CBR, a subsidiary of the Heidelberg Cement Group, has automated the raw material store that it operates at its Lixhe location. The performance of the facility has been significantly increased due to the implementation of a Demag warehouse management system together with the installation a up-to-date Demag process crane that has a load capacity of nine tonnes.

Lutz Dowy, Vice President Sales and Product Management at Terex Material Handling, explains: “We modernised the store operated in Lixhe by CBR with a strong solution which is based on rugged crane systems and smart control modules. The result will ensure a continuous material flow thanks to consistently high handling rates.”

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Lixhe: Benelux’ largest Cement Works

The Lixhe plant is one of the oldest locations operated by the cement manufacturer CBR, a subsidiary of the Heidelberg­Cement Group. With an annual capacity of some 1,4 million tonnes of clinker and 1,5 million tonnes of cement, the plant in south-east Belgium is the largest cement works in the Benelux countries.

HeidelbergCement decided to invest in the raw material storage of the Lixhe plant in order to stay competitive. They addressed three clear goals with the automation of the raw material store:

• increased productivity,

• sustainable improvement in process reliability,

• higher level of occupational health and safety.

To meet these requirements, a fully automated crane was installed and a warehouse management system was implemented in the existing store. For the supply of the materials handling equipment as well as for the software control system, the cement manufacturer decided in favour of a complete Demag system, which was used to thoroughly modernise the store.

Besides the calcareous sand which is quarried locally, three different grades of coal as well as ferric oxide are kept in the raw material store at the plant. The storage area measures 86 x 24 m² in size and has five compartments that are divided into eight storage zones.

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