May 12 2009
The Siemens Industry Solutions Division of Siemens AE Greece has won an order from the Cypriot cement producer, Vassiliko Cement Works Public Company Ltd. to supply the electrical and automation equipment for a new kiln line and cement mill. An energy monitoring system integrated into the PCS7-based process control system will constantly monitor energy consumption in the plant. The order is worth some fourteen million euros. The new production line is due to go on stream in January 2011.
Established in 1963, Vassiliko Cement Works Public Company Limited (VCW) is the sole cement producer on Cyprus following the merger with Cyprus Cement Company (CCC) in 2007. The company operates a cement factory in the Vassiliko Area on the south coast of the island with an annual production capacity of 1.8 million metric tons of Portland cement. The new clinker production unit will have an annual capacity of 2.4 million metric tons and will replace three existing lines in the plant.
Siemens is supplying the electrical equipment and automation systems for the new cement line, including the control center. At the heart of the automation solution is a process control system based on Simatic PCS7 with an integrated energy monitoring system. This allows constant monitoring of the plant's energy input and helps to optimize energy consumption. The scope of supply also includes the entire process instrumentation as well as the analyzers and special instrumentation. The electrical equipment comprises the cabling for the medium and low-voltage distribution systems, the 11kV switchgear units, the UPS and battery systems, the power factor compensation system, transformers, the low-voltage distribution panels with intelligent MCCs (motor control centers) and variable speed drives. The scope of supply is supplemented by earthing and lightning protection equipment, lighting, fire detection and alarm systems, the CCTV and the telephone system.
Siemens is also responsible for the design and engineering of the electrical equipment, including erection, installation and commissioning as well as on-site training of the operating personnel.
Siemens won the order mainly as a result of the good impression that VCW had gained during a similar project that Siemens carried out from 2002 to 2004 for Titan Cement SA in Thessaloniki, Greece as well as the company's technical and technological expertise in cement lines and competitive price offered.