Lafarge Oggaz cement plant in Mascara: the opportunity for recycling

A Holcim Group company has achieved success in Algeria with an Algerian workforce, and global cement giant Lafarge-Holcim has succeeded in its venture with its cement plant in Oggaz in the province of Mascara. a mission that makes this unit one of the group's largest cement plants in the world, with a production capacity of 466,000 tons/year for white cement and 2 million tons/year for grey cement, requiring the operation of six quarries.

The global giant Lafarge-Holcim opened the doors of its cement plant to the press for two days ( December 15 and 16), allowing representatives of the local media to see for themselves the success of the Oggaz plant, which employs more than 360 workers in production and more than 600 people employed by subcontractors. During the presentation of the plant to the press, Mohamed Benarmas, an executive at Lafarge Ciment Oggaz, explained that "production exceeds theoretical capacity with rationalised, intensified operations, rising from 4 to 6 million tonnes/year using only the plant's own resources". This capacity covers more than 30% of the national cement market today.

Another distinctive feature of the Oggaz plant is that it is one of the few cement factories in the world to produce extra-white cement, most of which is exported to more than 25 countries on five continents, as Oggaz white cement is internationally recognised and sold not only around the Mediterranean, but also in Brazil, England and the USA, where it was used in the construction of the Freedom Tower, which replaces the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. Indeed, extra-fine Algerian white cement is very rare and is in demand for major projects around the world, which is why Lafarge Algeria have opted for such transactions: "Our goal is to satisfy the local market first and foremost, generating a surplus for export," emphasised the unit's commercial director, who added: "White cement allows us to work faster; it is more attractive and we don't need to paint the facades ."

Lafarge Ciment Oggaz (LCO) stands out for its other activities, as it is also the first cement plant to incinerate waste resulting from production. In this regard, representatives of the press witnessed a contract signed between the OGGAS unit and Berrahal, a company specialising in sugar production, for the incineration of waste. This partnership aims to transform residues from the Berrahal sugar refinery into raw materials for cement production via the Geocycle El-Djazaïr unit, which specialises in waste reuse. 

Every year, thousands of tonnes of industrial waste are dumped in the open air, contributing to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The partnership is part of a circular economy strategy to reduce this pollution. For Berrahal, it offers a logistical and environmental solution, while Holcim expands its sources of alternative materials and reduces the carbon footprint of its products.

The initial phase provides for the integration of 60 tonnes of waste per month, a volume that could increase, depending on the results, in the same order of magnitude. The plant provides services through the incineration of waste from olive crushing and expired medicines, a collective effort to preserve natural resources and treat waste. 

The director of Geocycle's industrial operations stated that preliminary tests have shown that these residues can be incorporated into cement without affecting its quality. The Mascara plant, which is ISO 14001 certified, already produces cement with CO₂ emissions reduced by 40% compared to conventional cement. Holcim does not limit itself to agri-food waste. Its in-house laboratory has reintroduced 18 materials that were previously discarded, demonstrating that waste logistics can become a source of economic value and exports. 

Dam sludge is another example, as 300,000 tonnes have been used in cement, replacing clay and helping to preserve the country's water reserves. The Oggaz plant has also strengthened the country's position in cement exportations. Holcim now accounts for 38% of national exports, worth £130 million per year, serving markets such as the United States and Europe. 

Investment in logistics and the development of green cements demonstrates the company's economic and environmental importance. The only problem remaining is the processing of the dam sludge. Indeed, after conclusive tests, the plant's managers are faced with obtaining authorisation to extract the sludge. These operations are beneficial in terms of increasing water storage capacity and are profitable for the unit, which maintains the volume of clay at the quarries.