New instruments include industry's first cryogenic grinder (Freezer/Mill) in Spain and energy-dispersive XRF spectrometer
Event attended by Professor Ramon Tamames, who reflected on role of waste in circular economy
Madrid, July 2nd 2015. Lafarge Spain has opened an area equipped with state-of-the-art technology for the analysis of alternative fuels at its facilities outside the city of Toledo. This unit is located at the firm's main quality control laboratory, which has been operating for more than 40 years and boasts certification from the National Accreditation Body (ENAC, in its Spanish acronym).
The incorporation of new instrumental techniques will allow Lafarge to offer maximum guarantees and boost the efficiency of the analytical process. This new area complements the analyses carried out by alternative fuel suppliers and the company itself at the entrance to its factories.
Among the technology installed, Lafarge now boasts the first cryogenic grinder that exists in Spain in this industry. It is a technique that allows an effective analysis with a single fuel sample (wood, sawdust, tyres and animal meal, for example), by freezing them with liquid nitrogen and reducing the particle size to 100 microns. Another notable feature is the energy-dispersive XRF spectrometer capable of simultaneously analysing 80 chemical elements in both solid and liquid samples or in paste form.
Lafarge has invested over €300,000 in these instruments and created two new laboratory technician posts, which have been taken on by two women. Isabel Rodriguez Henche, Director of the Lafarge Central Quality Control Laboratory, explains that "the use of alternative fuels makes the company more competitive, as it is less reliant on fossil fuels. At the same time, it benefits the environment and society by giving a safe solution to waste, which otherwise would end up in a landfill site. With this new facility, Lafarge will be offering the very best management guarantees".
Ramon Tamames reflects on reuse of waste as basis for more sustainable society
The opening event of this exclusive alternative fuel area had as guest of honour Professor Ramón Tamames, Member of the Club of Rome, Professor of Economic Structure, Jean Monnet Chair of the European Union and Chair of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, who in an interesting speech offered his thoughts on the role of waste in the circular economy as the basis for a more sustainable society, a principle with which Lafarge fully identifies.
According to Professor Tamames "as time goes by, in a world with an ever-growing population, which at the end of this century may well exceed 10 billion, the revaluation of new uses and subsequent applications of any product are fast gaining ground. This is because on a planet where space is increasingly at a premium and resources are finite, the sheer might of reuse becomes all-important".
About Lafarge Group
World leader in the building materials industry, Lafarge employs 63,000 people in 61 countries. In 2014, the Group recorded sales of 12.8 billion euros. With a leading position in its business areas of cement, aggregates and concrete, Lafarge contributes to the construction of better cities around the world through its innovative solutions, making them more welcoming, more compact, longer-lasting, more aesthetically-pleasing and better connected. For Lafarge, which boasts the world's leading research centre for building materials, innovation is at the heart of its priorities in order to foster more sustainable construction and enhance architectural creativity. To learn more about Lafarge, please visit: www.lafarge.com
About Lafarge Spain
The Spanish branch of Lafarge has three factories and a cement grinding plant, twenty-nine concrete plants, two cement factories and six quarries, and employs approximately 550 people. The company is renowned for operating the first Research and Development Centre for New Concretes and Cements, where Lafarge patents are adapted to the Spanish market and specific products are developed to meet the particular needs of customers. For more information about Lafarge Spain: www.lafarge.com.es
For more information: Press Office Lafarge Spain Maria Gil de Antuñano and Victoria Hernández
Phone: +34 917883200