Holcim Philippines

Fast FiveTagudin, Ron Daniel F.Villanueva, Jennon OrvicTicman, Ray Christian5ME-A

I.IntroductionHISTORY Holcim established its presence in the Philippine cement industry in 1974. It has a 40-year old history that dates back to its beginnings in Hi Cement Corporation, Davao Union Cement Corporation, Bacnotan Cement Corporation and Alsons Cement Corporation. Today, Alsons Cement Corporation and Union Cement Corporation have come together to move forward as a stronger Holcim Philippines.MISSION A company rooted in unwavering values, Holcim keeps ahead of change, reaping opportunities for growth. A partner in nation-buildingWe have a strong commitment to the local community. Customized solutionsWe customize our solutions to suit your particular requirements. Sustainable practicesWe provide sustainable operations in communities where we operate while maintaining strong business performance. Simple and transparent processesWe are simple and straightforward in our business dealings. Consistent availabilityOur people, products, and services are available to you at all times. Valued expertiseArmed with global expertise and a resilient local spirit, we are dedicated to delivering the best results. Creative ideasWe encourage continuous improvement of our processes, products and services.

NATURE OF BUSINESSCement It operates in 4 major plants - one in La Union, another in Bulacan, a third in Davao City and the Lugait Plant in Misamis Oriental. The plants account for a total installed clinker production capacity per year of 6.5 million metric tons and annual cement production capacity of 7.7 million metric tons.Concrete Holcim employs state-of-the-art technologies in its ready mix concrete operations. It operates ready mix concrete plants in Taguig and Paraaque.PLANT OPERATIONS

EMPLOYEES Holcim Philippines, Inc. is a cement manufacturer in the Philippines. It employs over 1,700 employees in four plants spread across the archipelago.

PRIMARY CUSTOMERS Ordinary Home Owner Contractors Architects and/ or Engineers Real Estate Developers Dealers

PRODUCTS1. Cements Holcim Excel- A premium quality general purpose cement. Holcim WallRight- A masonry cement for hollow block laying and filling, plastering, and finishing.

Holcim 4x- Holcim 4X is an ASTM C150 high performance Portland cement specially formulated for ready mix concrete applications. Holcim Premium- Holcim Premium Bulk is an ASTM C 150 high perfomance Portland cement specially formulated for general construction.2. Concrete Structural Concrete- Holcim Concrete produces quality ready mix concrete of all strength grades used in Metro Manila, including 10,000 psi. We can handle small and large orders. Industrial Housing Concrete- These increases productivity in building projects that use modular formwork. It requires minimum vibration to attain full compaction, resists segregation even when pumped over long distances and under difficult conditions, and is easy to place and finish. Road and Pavement Concrete- These are Designed AASHTO and DPWH requirements for strength, wear resistance and performance. High Strength Concrete- These is used for tall buildings, structural members of bridges and flyovers, and prestressed and post-tensioned elements. By reducing the size of structural elements, Special Application Concrete- These are design special concretes for your construction project. With our experienced concrete engineers and access to the Holcim global know-how in cement, aggregates and concrete, we can develop innovative solutions for you - whether you need lightweight concrete, low heat mass concrete, flowable fill, high early strength concrete, self-compacting concrete or any other special concrete application.II. ProcessRAW MATERIALS

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Mostlimestoneis composed of skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera.

Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite.

CEMENT MANUFACTURING PROCESSPart 1 - raw materials extraction

1. QuarryQuarry - typically limestone, marl and clays as well as other materials containing the required proportions of calcium, silicon, aluminium and iron oxides are extracted using drilling and blasting techniques.2. CrusherCrusher - the quarried material is then reduced in size by compression and/or impact in various mechanical crushers. Crushed rock is reduced in size from 120 cm to between 1.2 and 8 cm. Drying of raw material may also be necessary for efficient crushing and pre-blending.3. ConveyorConveyor - raw material is then transported from the quarry using conveyors, rail wagons or other suitable logistics solutions specific to the cement plant.

Part 2 - blending and clinkerization

4. Mixing bedMixing bed - the crushed limestone and clay is homogenized by stacking and reclaiming in a long layered stockpile. This material is then ready for milling and drying in the kiln.5. Raw millRaw mill - the raw materials are milled and dried in a roller mill. Heavy rollers are held over a rotating table and the coArse material is milled until it is fine enough to be carried by air to a homogenizing silo.6. Filter bagFilter - bag filters comprise filters of either woven fabric or needle felts to remove particles from kiln exhaust. The exhaust gas from many kilns is used for drying raw materials, thus improving the energy efficiency of the plant.7. PreheaterPreheater - cyclone preheaters enable the raw material of cement production to be preheated before entry into the kiln. This increases the energy efficiency of the kiln as the material is 20-40% calcined at the point of entry into the kiln.8. KilnKiln - the kiln is designed to maximize the efficiency of heat transfer from fuel burning to the raw material. In the preheater tower the raw materials are heated rapidly to a temperature of about 1000C, where the limestone forms burnt lime. In the rotating kiln, the temperature reaches up to 2000C. At this high temperature, minerals fuse together to form predominantly calcium silicate crystals - cement clinker.9. CoolerCooler - the molten cement clinker is then cooled as rapidly as possible. The ambient air used to cool the clinker is then fed into the kiln as combustion air - ensuring high utilization of the heat produced.

Part 3 - grinding and distribution

10. Clinker siloClinker silo - clinker may be either stored on site in preparation for grinding to form cement, or transported to other sites.11. Cement millCement mill - finish milling is the grinding together of cement clinker, with around 5% of natural or synthetic gypsum. Other cementitious materials such as slag, flyash or other pozzolans may also be incorporated into the final cement powder.12. LogisticsLogistics - final cement may be transported pre-bagged or as a bulk powder. The method of transport selected varies according to location - and may include transport via truck, rail or ship.

QUALITY ASSURANCE Cement production capabilities Holcim invests its people, its time, its resources, and its technologies in bringing top-quality cement to the market. With state-of-the-art equipment and capabilities at par with global standards, Holcim meets production goals while keeping people safe and the environment protected. A commitment to quality Holcim Philippines operates four plants in key areas around the country. Together these plants produce an annual capacity of more than 7 million metric tons of clinker and 8.7 million metric tons of cement. All plants are certified to OHSAS 18001Occupational Health and Safety Management System, ISO 14001Environmental Management System, and ISO 9001Quality Management System standards.Plant operations Each plant is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and the latest emissions monitoring system, operating under strict global standards for safety, efficiency, and quality.Optimum efficiency Our production processes are supported by strict process and product quality control. A passion for accuracy ensures that the line operations in our local manufacturing plants are up to par with strict local and international standards.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) is an integral part of our corporate social responsibility. As such we place the highest value in ensuring healthy and safe workplaces, striving for zero lost time accidents to our employees, contractors, and visitors. Our cement plants in Bulacan, Lugait, and La Union are certified ISO 18001, integrating this system with quality and environment.

Holcim Philippines aims for a zero incident leading to fatality and/or permanent disability of all employees in the plant and its satellite premises. It is also targeting a very low frequency of 1.7 and severity of 25 each year. In order to achieve such indicators, it adopted some programs from the Holcim Group and from other Holcim companies that have been proven to be effective in the reduction of incidents in the plant. One of the major programs adopted is the OH&S pyramid (shown below) from HGRS which is very well in the heart of health and safety activities in the plant. It is the visual representation of the basic elements or blocks that has to be addressed in developing and implementing the OH&S system. Each plant has different colors depending on the degree of its implementation.

Last year, the company also launched the Management Safety Audit where members of top management (Members of the Management Committee, Plant Managers, and direct reports) are required to do safety and health audit in the plant and satellite premises looking at either an area (working environment) or job procedures. It is a good method of implementing the adage "walk the talk".

Industrial waste water treatmentHolcim has opened a water treatment plant in Mexico at its Ramos Arizpe complex operated by subsidiary Ecoltec. The plant, which will treat water contaminated by hydrocarbons, has a daily capacity of 40m3 and allows the firm to process water more efficiently.

Air Control Pollution SystemsHolcim invested on a complete set of Continuous Emissions Monitoring System as part of its compliance to the Holcim Group requirement. This goes beyond the Philippine Clean Air Act requirement for a cement plant.The CEMS enables them to monitor gaseous and dust emissions in real time.To minimize fugitive dust, they maintain bag house filters and electrostatic precipitators in all their plants.Holcim, as a founding member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development has committed to reduce emissions by 20% in the year 2010.

Fire Prevention SystemIn construction site, fire protection equipment is located throughout the area. Use of fire fighting equipment must be reported to the Site Manager. Contractors are responsible for fire protection within their work environment. Fire prevention shall be taken into consideration when determining work methods and selecting tools and equipment for use at the work place. Contractors are responsible for ensuring that flammable liquids are stored in closed metal containers which are labelled as per regulations to identify contents. Fire protection alarms, fixed installations and ancillary equipment such as pumps and water supplies shall not be shut down or altered without the authorisation of the Site Manager. Vehicles and machinery brought onto the site, as authorised by the Site Manager must be equipped with a relevant fire extinguisher of adequate type and capacity as required and must be inspected with standard codes.