Lafarge Corporation | E-Crane Case studies

The Challenge: Preparing the Plant for Future Growth

Lafarge was embarking on a multi-million-dollar modernization program for its Joppa cement plant. The existing limestone unloading process relied on five self-unloading barges, creating operational complexity and limiting future production capacity. The company required a more efficient bulk handling solution that could support its long-term expansion plans while reducing operating costs and simplifying logistics.

“This crane was the first investment in our multimillion dollar plan to upgrade the Joppa Plant. The E-Crane is the main stepping stone to our vision of the next 20 years. We could not do what we want to do efficiently without this crane.”

Craig Szabo

The Solution: A Landmark Barge-Mounted Bulk Handling Installation

E-Crane supplied a 1500 Series equilibrium crane (Model 10264 PD-E) mounted on a pedestal installed on a barge, creating the world’s first barge-mounted crane fully dedicated to bulk material handling. The installation efficiently unloads limestone directly into the plant while providing the throughput required to support Lafarge’s future expansion plans.

The solution includes:

1500 Series E-Crane (Model 10264 PD-E) with a 26.4 m (86.6 ft) reach, providing efficient limestone unloading for cement production.
Pedestal-mounted installation on a barge, creating a dedicated floating bulk handling solution for continuous inland waterway operations.
6.5 m³ (8.5 yd³) clamshell grab, designed for fast and efficient limestone handling.
186 kW (250 hp) electric drive, delivering reliable, energy-efficient performance for continuous duty-cycle operation.
High-capacity unloading system, designed to exceed the capacity of the existing belt feed system and support future plant expansion.

Get in touch

Download the PDF about this case study

BUSINESS OUTCOME

The E-Crane became the cornerstone of Lafarge’s long-term modernization strategy. Its unloading capacity quickly surpassed the performance of the existing belt feed system, positioning the plant for future expansion. Once the next phase of the modernization program was completed, Lafarge expected to eliminate the need for all five self-unloading barges previously used for limestone unloading while also removing the need for a third operating shift, significantly reducing operating costs and increasing plant efficiency.