ZKG interview

During the field trip, ZKG INTERNATIONAL asked Hans-Dieter Grudno about the factory and also what advice he can give to young engineers:

ZKG: What is special about the  Rüdersdorf plant?

Grudno: The Rüdersdorf plant looks back on a long history. Last year we celebrated 125 years of cement production. The factory is still one of the biggest in Europe with a nominal capacity of 6000 t. Its unique feature is certainly the circulating fluidized bed. This allows us to also use mineral residues, for instance from road construction, and the ash from the fluidized bed as raw material components for the raw meal production process.

ZKG: What modernisation measures are you currently planning?

Grudno: We want to install a waste heat recuperation system. In Europe there is an increasing trend for waste heat utilization, even though other countries are much further than we are. The special feature of the Rüdersdorf system is that we also plan to utilize mixed gas from the bypass for power generation.

ZKG: What would you say to young  engineers who are thinking of working in the cement industry?

Grudno: Technologically speaking, the cement industry is extremely diverse. It is possible to specialize in numerous individual fields, for instance the pyroprocessing sector or the grinding sector. Work in a cement factory always has a very direct influence on the production process, and the actions you take result in immediate feedback in economic and quality terms. Also, many of the involved companies nowadays are multinational groups, so that you will inevitably have contact with a lot of people and cultures. During lengthier stays abroad, you will not only gain professional experience but also experience of value for your own life.  You will not just be a short-visit tourist in the foreign countries, but will be living and working together with colleagues at the company‘s factories. That will certainly have a lasting and positive effect!