Increasing productivity and energy efficiency in cement industry by using VSM

Abstract

In the conditions of the energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine, the ever-increasing price of the electricity, it is very important to save electricity, through the use of new technologies, products, services and innovative solutions. The cement industry is one of the most important industries with high consumption of thermal and electrical energy in Albania. The aim of the paper is to show that using the Value Stream Mapping and Lean thinking method of the production system in cement industry, will ensure good opportunities to improve the production system and reduce the energy consumption. The cement factory in Fushe Kruje, Albania is taken as a case study in this paper. Recently, as the cement demand rose, the factory has encountered with long-waiting lines at the loading facilities. The plant loading facilities are capable to serve pallet loading, bulk loading, and floor loading trucks. The paper is focused on pallet loading facility, as it is the easiest one to be modified. Thus, the goal of the study is to redesign the loading facility and change the packing process in order to reduce the overall waiting time of the system, electricity consumption and increase the production capacity.