New bagging plant for Rugby cement works

New £3.5 million vacuum bagging system offers economic and environmental benefits

CEMEX UK have invested £3.5 million in a new cement bagging plant at their Rugby works in Warwickshire. The investment followed extensive consultation which found that many customers wanted the option of cement in plastic or paper bags. Today, approximately 20% of CEMEX customers buy their cement in the new plastic packaging.

The new plant incorporates an Aroda Arovac bagging system with a unique operating mechanism. Once filled with cement, any air in the bag is sucked out creating a vacuum before sealing. The system is said to have many ‘environmental’ advantages compared with other plastic cement bags on the market.

For example, the bags are both airtight and watertight, which extends the shelf life and keeps the cement fresher. And compared with conventional plastic bags, there is a saving on the amount of additional plastic needed to make them waterproof.

‘Plastics bags offer many benefits,’ said Matthew Wild, vice-president commercial cement, building products and logistics. ‘As well as increased shelf life, the CEMEX bags are stronger so for everyone, from ourselves as producers, through logistics, to the merchant and on to the builder, the bags are less likely to tear and therefore there is less wastage.

‘From the moment the cement leaves the bagging plant, there is an economic as well as an environmental benefit.’

For both the builders’ merchant and the builder, there are further benefits as a result of the bags being 100% waterproof. Merchants can store the bags outside, whatever the weather, next to associated products such as bricks, sand or landscaping materials, while on site, builders can place the bags close to the construction area until required without any need to cover them.