PRODUCTION RECORDS
The Company commenced commercial production in 1985 and according to records, the production reached 1,449,442 tons clinker and 862,605 tons cement, that year. By the Grace of God, production increased in following years and effective 1994, the Clinker production reached 2,300,000 tons, crossing the installed capacity of 2,200,000 M Tons. The plant achieved a record clinker production of 2,357,423 tons in 1995, which is 12.26% more than the nominal capacity. Similarly in 2001, one Kiln achieved a run factor of 344 days, which is a new benchmark in any standard in cement industry. Similarly the highest cement production of 2,916,364 tons was recorded in the year 1994. The high quality of the products is also maintained, which received international fame in the world market. The Company has been exerting continued efforts for increasing production as well as maintaining the high quality of its product standard. Entire plant is operating on its optimum level of production.
RAW MATERIAL GRINDING
Raw material grinding is done in two closed circuit two-chamber ball mills having a capacity of 360-400 ton/hour each, and a new most modernized vertical roller mill having grinding capacity of 330-380 tons per hour. The mills are of latest technological innovation having hydrostatic slide shoe bearings, the gearless wrap around variable speed motor of 5900 KW rating each and a third generation high efficiency dynamic separators.
CLINKER BURNING
Clinker is burned in three numbers identical rotary kilns, each one having a dia 4.6 meter and 70 meter length with a capacity of 3500 tons/day. The two kilns are equipped with a four stage cyclone pre-heater, on-line pre-calciner, three stage hydraulic grate cooler separate Tertiary Air Duct (TAD) and a 20% By Pass System. And a new Kiln is of latest designed with 5 stage preheater with on line precalciner, two stage grate cooler, separate Tertiary Air Duct (TAD) and a 20% bypass system. All the above three kilns are operated on natural gas.
In order to protect the quality, clinker from cooler is transported and stored in five concrete Silos, four silos are having a storage capacity of 40,000 M Tons and 5th one is having the storage capacity of 70,000 tons.
CEMENT GRINDING & STORAGE
Cement grinding is done in four cement mills. Two mills are operating with open circuit grinding with 135 tons/hour OPC and 105 tons/hour SRC. Other two mills are operating with o-sepa separator on closed circuit method with 155 tons per hr OPC and 145 tons per hour SRC. All mills are driven by a special wrap around variable speed motor of 5400 KW rating. Like the raw mills these mills are also equipped with hydrostatic slide shoe bearings.
To protect cement from premature hydration and minimize internal condensation, cement is being stored in well-ventilated concrete silos. There are four silos having a storage capacity of 10,000 M Tons and one silo with 2,500 M Tons capacity.
Quality Assurance/Total Quality Management
The company is totally committed to the high quality standards for the products since inception. Clinker as well as the cement produced conforms, with liberal margins to the relevant internationals standards American (ASTM), British (BS), European (EN) etc as well as national SASO standards. The cement has the accredited quality mark of SASO. The organization has a well established quality system for all its activities and is certified ISO 9001:2000 awarded by M/s RWTUV, Germany.
The raw materials is analyzed continuously as it passes through three dedicated automatic on-line bulk analyzers, fully integrated to the plant control system. The ground raw meal is regularly sampled and analyzed with state-0f-artonl-line XRF analyzer with an integrated XRD through robotic lab, where all the relevant activities are performed by an on-line robot. Additionally, three dedicated XRF analyzers are used for regular analysis of other in-process samples, clinker, cement etc. the chemical and physical testing of cement is carried out using the most modern instruments and equipments with PC interface, with tractability to international standers, thus ensuring excellent quality as well as consistency for the products.
DUST CONTROL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The EPCC plant is operating within the pollution emission limits fixed by the Saudi regulations. Ten Electrostatic Precipitators, (ESPs), two Gravel Bed filters and numerous bag dust collectors are installed at different locations of the plant to ensure proper dust collection and provide highly clean environment. Even in quarries back land filling is routine to avoid spoiling of the landscape and local vegetation.
THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL ENERGY
The fuel for the Raw Mills and Kilns is normally low sulfur sweet natural gas (A-120) from Aramco Gas and Oil Separation Plant. This gas is pumped in from Jubail through a 52 kms 16-inch dia pipeline built and owned by EPCC. The electrical power is supplied by SEC a 115KV line.
DESPATCH AND LOADING FACILITIES
Integrated and inter connected computer systems monitor, supervise and control clinker bulk and bag cement dispatches. Invoicing is done automatically by these dedicated systems. The plant has a loading capacity of:
- 800 tons/hour of Clinker.
- 800 tons/hour of Bulk Cement .
- 400 tons/hour of Bag Cement.
BASIC DATA & FACTS
· The plant was executed under Supervision of the Prospective Engineering Gestion (PEG) of Geneva, Switzerland, and the cement machinery was supplied by M/s. Krupp Polysius of Germany supported by ABB Switzerland in the electrical and control systems.
· Foundation stone was placed on February 3rd, 1982 the first Kiln was lighted up on the October 4th, 1984 with first Clinker rolling out of the Kiln on the October 06th, 1984. However, the commercial production started on January 01st, 1985.
· Clinker designed capacity is 3,300,000 tons per year @ 10,500 tons per day.
· Cement designed capacity is 3,500,000 tons per year @ 12,000 tons per day.
· When crushing is finished, grinding is achieved by two closed circuit mills with production capacity of 400 tons/hour and one roller mill with 330 tons/hour.
· Clinker is burned in three gas kilns to produce 3500 tons per day by each.
· Clinker is cooled and transferred to five Silos; the total storing capacity is 230,000 tons.
· Cement is ground by four cement mills of 12,000 tons/day capacities and stored in five Silos. Cement is dispatched in bulk bags and in jumbo bags. Bulk cement can be loaded directly from the cement Silos to cement bulkers. Bagging, loading and stacking are done by automatic machines, enabling the dispatching faster and economical.
· The factory is considered one of the most modern, equipped with gas fired kilns (as being operated now) and could be operated as well as with diesel oil.
· The Plant has the most modern Control systems for high quality and efficient production.
· Many modernization projects are under way for the efficient production and high quality product to meet various international standards.
ACHIEVEMENTS
· Obtained Quality Marks by Saudi Arabian Standard
Organization (SASO).
· Awarded ISO 9001 : 2000 for Total Quality System.
· Ministry of Industrial & Electricity’s Maintenance Award forthe year 1406/1407 (H).
· Ideal Plant Award for the year 1406 (H).
· Won 3rd Prize – King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz Award for Ideal Plant in Building Materials Section throughout Kingdom for the year 1414 (H).
· Obtained ‘Saudiazation” - Award for 2001. The Award is presented by H.H. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Minister of Interior and Manpower Council President for its efforts in Training and Employment of Saudis in the Company.
· The Company assists benevolent projects, Charity Societies and Professional Associations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
