Business North July / August 2021

50 | Cement plant shreds 3mwaste tyres Richard Loader “Using end-of-life tyres in cement manufacturing helps to solve a significant waste problem in New Zealand as well as improve the sustainability of a key building material.” to page 53 INDUSTRY Golden Bay Cement - End of Life Tyre Plant C ompleted in February this year, Fletcher Building’s waste tyre project at Golden Bay Cement (GBC) will avoid just over three million used tyres going to landfill each year to instead be used in the manufacture of New Zealand made cement. Owned by Fletcher Building, GBC is a world class cement manufacturing plant based in Portland, Whangarei and has been operating for more than 100 years. Employing around 200 people, GBC is New Zealand’s sole remaining fully integrated ce- ment manufacturer and the country’s largest supplier. The significant plant upgrade will enable GBC to use up to 3.1 million shredded waste tyres, reduce coal use by up to 30%, reduce iron sand use by 5,000 tonnes and reduce carbon emissions by around 13,000 tonnes each year. Fletcher Building CEO Ross Taylor says this is a landmark sustainability project for manu- facturing in New Zealand. “Using end-of-life tyres in cement manufac- turing helps to solve a significant waste prob - lem in New Zealand as well as improve the sustainability of a key building material. Up to 50 per cent of the 6.3 million waste tyres created in New Zealand each year will now be used in cement manufacturing at the Golden Bay Cement plant instead of going into landfill. “There are no other large industries in New Zealand that can readily or cleanly consume the volume of waste tyres our Portland ce- ment plant can. “Waste tyres have been used successfully in many cement plants throughout the world. We are proud to bring this world-leading technology to New Zealand as well as our investment in local manufacturing jobs and capability.