Aalborg Portland opens new Rochefort terminal

Aalborg Portland has celebrated the opening of its new Rochefort terminal to improve its local presence for white cement customers in southwest France.

"We are very pleased that with the new terminal in Rochefort we can expand the market area for white cement from production in Aalborg. This gives an increased level of activity on Danish grounds, that our production in Aalborg is competitive in terms of product, service and quality," said Michael Lundgaard Thomsen, directior of Aalborg Portland.

Following a DKK25m (US$3.99m) investment decision in 2014, the project saw the construction of a new silo facility. In 2015 Aalborg White^® was certified under Norm Française (NF), an important step as in the French market customers demand that their raw materials comply with NF, reports Henrick Hougaars, Aalborg Portland's export sales director.

The development will significantly reduce delivery times to the southwestern region of France for Allborg as the market had previously been serviced from Moerdijk in The Netherlands with a delivery time of 2-3 days. This will now be cut to a single day with supplies of Aalborg White^® sent directly from the Danish plant to Rochefort.

"So far, we have covered the northernmost third of France down to Paris from our terminal in Holland," said Mr Hougaard. "With the new terminal in Rochefort we can cover almost all of France. The establishment of Rochefort also sends us a very strong signal to the French market about our strategic presence. It gives customers security for delivery."