| Evaluating sites for a new cement plant |
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Building a new cement plant is one of the range of future manufacturing options which Holcim New Zealand has investigated. Because of the volumes of materials required to make cement, the best sites are those that have a ready supply of raw materials nearby: limestone, sand and coal (or gas or oil). Several possible sites for a cement plant have been investigated: South Waikato/King Country Investigations in the South Waikato / King Country centred on exploring options for new cement manufacturing capacity complementary to the company's existing industrial lime business, McDonald's Lime Ltd. That business has operated in the region for 40 years and includes both processing plant and quarry. While a new cement plant at South Waikato/King Country remains viable, in May 2007 after 12 months of investigation, a decision was made to do no further work on this option. It is considered less attractive due to raw material challenges. Weston Company-owned land near Weston, close to Oamaru, has been evaluated as a potential site for a cement plant and associated quarry activity. Company-owned mineral reserve sites at nearby Windsor and Ngapara have been evaluated for possible quarrying. |
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Resource Consents The company sought resource consents for the Weston, Windsor and Ngapara sites under the Resource Management Act. These consents were granted in February 2008, with a range of conditions relating to construction and operation of the plant and associated sites. Holcim New Zealand is currently appealing some of the conditions to the Environment Court. Obtaining the resource consents does not automatically mean a plant will be built at Weston. Resource consents are a requirement before parent company Holcim Ltd will consider a greenfields manufacturing option for capital expenditure. Subject to the consents being workable this is Holcim New Zealand's preferred new plant option. |
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Westport Work was also carried out to investigate the option of a full new replacement dry process cement plant at Westport. This was one of the two new cement plants options comprehensively investigated. Findings from those investigations indicated that the Weston option offered greater advantages. |
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