ng coil is connected on gear unit side front side B4-DV-20-D Bevel-helical gear Reduction Boxes B4

Flender/Flender Gear Units/Bevel-helical gear Reduction Boxes B4

umber of re- cent initiatives, chief of which is the massive, region-wide upgrade of its four plants automation systems, com- plemented with programs aimed at developing stronger customer focus and more effective cost management. The capability to provide reliable supply and consistent superior quality is critical, especially in very strong and dynamic market such as the Philippines. It is to our huge advantage that all our manufacturing and distribution facilities across the country are able to rise to this challenge, said van Wijnen. Risks and challenges During plant tour at the companys Bulacan facility, which is located in Norzagaray, some 4 km north of Manila, David Cajander, Holcim Philippines Head of Projects, explains the issues and challenges which led the company to go for region-wide automation systems upgrade to replace its previous systems installed in 1. Operational stability, equipment obso-lescence, difficulty in obtaining spare parts and other maintenance issues were becoming significant risks to the sustainability of our operations. Un-planned downtime is our worst enemy. In this business, you absolutely cannot afford to have production equipment out of action for any length of time. The Bulacan facility is complete cement manufacturing plant, from the crushing and transport of limestone, clay and shale from nearby quarries, all the way to packing and shipping the final product. In between, the cement manufacturing process consists of raw material preparation, grinding and homo genization, limestone calcination and clinkering (pyroprocess), cooling and cement milling. While the companys four plants in the country are currently at various stages of the region-wide upgrade pro- gram, the cement production process and the automation systems described for Bulacan are similar to those in the three other facilities. 3Holcims primary objectives of the upgrade program are operation sustainability, overall equip- ment e