Sarens aids refurbishment of Lafarge's Bath, Ontario, cement plant

Sarens has participated in replacing a kiln dryer at Lafarge's plant in Bath, Ontario. During the development of this project, the company was responsible for the removal of the old worn-out kiln dryer and the installation of the new unit.

Since its foundation in 1973, Lafarge's Bath cement plant has been one of the most important. The kiln dryer replacement project is part of the company's plan to reduce its carbon footprint through a new sustainable policy that will enable Lafarge to save more than 140,000 tons of CO2 per year by converting GU cement to OneCem. With more than 100 skilled workers, Lafarge's Bath cement plant currently produces more than 1.1 million tons of cement per year, helping the construction industry to continue to develop.

The furnace renovation project at this factory is part of a maintenance program aimed at maintaining its proper operation. The kiln is the part in charge of drying the cement during the manufacturing process, so it plays a key role in cement production going forward. The Lafarge plant is responsible for supplying cement to several major infrastructure projects that contribute to the growth and development of several local cities.

To meet the project's objectives, Sarens had a one-week deadline to remove the old kiln and transport, lift, and install the new one. In order to meet the deadlines, Sarens had a week before the start of the work to ensure that the conditions were suitable and to assemble the crane that would later carry out the lifting of the furnace, saving valuable time to meet the proposed objectives.

In this case, Sarens utilized some of its most experienced operators. A Liebherr LR1600 crawler crane was also required, a model with great lifting capacity. The crane was configured with 48 metres of main boom and 36 metres of derrick mast, weighing a total of 511,328 pounds. Counterweight requirements for the lift were as follows: 65 tons of counterweight in the carbody, 150 tons in the superstructure, and an additional 250 tons in the superlift tray, adding up to a total weight of 1,536,188 pounds.

"The features of the LR1600 added to the smooth execution of lifting the 664-ton furnace that the LR was commissioned to lift. With skilled and professional personnel paired with the powerful LR1600 crawler crane, Sarens was able to exceed expectations for this project," says Luke Goodfellow, Sarens area manager.