Here’s to the New Year 2017!

Another eventful year is drawing to its close. The overriding issues in the cement and lime industry were addressed at the General Assembly of the International Lime Association in Washington and the recently concluded AICCE21 in Abu Dhabi. These include the use of alternative fuels and the possibilities for lowering energy costs, CO₂ and other harmful emissions. Reducing maintenance times and costs along with increasing the plant profitability are part of everyday optimization work. The digitalization of our plants has now reached field operations and will occupy our attention in the future, too.

In our end-of-year issue, we are again reporting on current events and projects, the latest products and research findings. One highlight is the interview starting on page 31. The cement producer Kirchdorfer Zement has installed the first Scheuch-DeCONOx system for the reduction of NOx, VOC and CO. At the official opening celebrations, we spoke to CEO Erich Frommwald and Alfons Secklehner from Kirchdorfer Zement about the investment in this new technology.

I wish you all peace, health and success for the New Year and look forward to meeting you at one of the global events in 2017.

Yours

Anett Fischer
Editor-in-Chief
ZKG International