Cement in Lebanon 2020 – The Rise of a Phoenix from the Ashes

The year was 1824, Joseph Aspdin invented Portland cement by burning finely ground chalk and clay until the carbon dioxide was removed. Now, cement is the most used human-made material in the world and 2^nd to water for being the most common resource on earth. Lebanon is considered one of the most important evolving countries in the MENA region. After a period of constant internal and external conflict, the use of cement in Lebanon increased dramatically. However, with the rise of cement prices in the MENA region and the environmental damage that regular cement has on the world, a sudden decline was noted for the use and availability of cement in Lebanon after 2011 which jeopardized the power force of construction. Before discussing how Lebanon’s cement use overcame this turmoil, we need to know:  How cement in Lebanon is manufactured and what are its uses?

Creation of Cement in Lebanon:

There are two main types of cement in Lebanon, Grey cement & White cement, each having its own production process.

1. Grey Cement

• Portland limestone cement NL 53: 1999 – PA-L 42.5 in bags

Composition

This product is manufactured by grinding a blend of clinker, selected limestone and calcium sulfate as setting regulator. Limestone content is between 6% and 15%.

Specific characteristics

This cement is general use cement specially designed for standard building works. Limestone addition provides an excellent workability to mortar and concrete that make easier masons work.

Fields of application

This cement is ideal for site-mixed concrete, masonry, mortars, renders, grouts and small-scale concrete blocks production units.

Having Any Order or Question? Contact Us Via Whatsapp +96170875100

• Portland limestone cement NL 53: 1999 – PA-L 42.5 in bulk

Composition

This product has the same composition as the one available in bags. 

Specific characteristics

This cement is general use cement especially designed for ready mix concrete batching plants and precast concrete factories. Limestone addition provides an excellent workability to concrete that make easier placement, pumping and surface finishing.

This cement can be used with a wide range of admixtures.

Fields of application

This cement is ideal for normal and high quality ready mixed concrete in non- aggressive environments, precast concrete and manufactured concrete products. Its excellent workability makes this product especially suitable for fair-faced concrete.

• Portland cement NL 53: 1999 – P 42.5 RMS BTNa in bulk

Composition

This product is a pure Portland cement. It is manufactured by grinding clinker and calcium sulfate as setting regulator. The minimum clinker content is 95%.

Specific characteristics

This cement is relatively fast hardening and gives high strength on medium and long term basis. It has a moderate sulfate resistance and has low alkali. It can be used with a wide range of admixtures.

Fields of application

The main fields of applications of this product are:

– Works in marine environment or in moderate chemical aggressive environment
– Limitation of alkali content of concrete
– Medium to high strength reinforced and pre-stressed concrete, precast concrete.

Order Now And Get 20% Discount. Contact Us Via Whatsapp +96170875100

• Blast furnace composite cement NL 53:1999 – C-S 42.5 ChB in bulk

Composition

This cement is manufactured by grinding a blend of clinker, granulated blast furnace slag and calcium sulfate as setting regulator. Granulated blast furnace slag content is between 36% and 65%.

Specific characteristics

Cement C-S 42.5 ChB has low heat of hydration and is ground to a relatively high fineness. The addition of blast furnace slag reduces the permeability of concrete, limits the risk of salt efflorescence and improves the resistance of concrete to aggressive environments.  

Fields of application

The main fields of application of this cement are mass concrete like footings and raft foundations and normal quality ready mixed concrete, especially in summer time.

2. White Cement:

• White Portland cement in bag

Composition

This product is manufactured by grinding a blend of white clinker, selected limestone and calcium sulfate as setting regulator. White clinker is produced by a specific process from selected raw materials with very low content of metal oxides, particularly iron oxide

Specific characteristics

The main characteristic of this product is its high whiteness index. Other characteristics are similar to those of Portland limestone cement.

Limestone addition and high fineness provide an excellent workability that provides an easier placement and surface finishing. White Portland cement mixed with limestone aggregates gives to concrete and mortar a color close to natural limestone. The white Portland cement can be easily colored by addition of metal oxide pigments.

Fields of application

White mortar and white concrete have an infinite variety of shapes and surface finish. The mains applications are:

-White bricklaying and plastering mortar

-Repointing of stone masonry

-Artificial stone

• White Portland cement in bulk

Composition

This product has the same composition as white cement in bags.  

Specific characteristics

All the characteristics of white cement in bulk are similar to the ones mentioned above (in bags). 

Fields of application

White mortar and white concrete provide an infinite variety of shapes and surface finish. The main applications are:

-Artificial stone

-Precast street furniture

-Fair-faced and architectural concrete

These insights were provided by one of the leading cement companies in Lebanon- Holcim Lebanon. Holcim represents the heritage of cement manufacturing in Lebanon. This company is the key to answering the important question: How did cement in Lebanon regain its demand?

The Rise of Cement in Lebanon:

In 2015 and after a steep decline that witnessed Lebanon’s cement deliveries dropped by 5.3% in 2014, Holcim took the initiative of providing the top quality standard of products that can’t be refused and became the first cement plant in Lebanon certified with ISO 9001:2015. A ground breaking achievement led the local use and exports of cement in Lebanon to shift back upwards as Lebanon was placed again on the map of MENA’s top cement producers. With the new high standard in quality, competition soon followed to try and reach the same level. This provided engineers, companies, construction sight specialists and residential projects with top quality cement from Lebanon.

The Environmental Effect of Producing Cement in Lebanon:

Although cement in Lebanon is considered a profitable business, the environmental awareness and concern of its polluting effects on nature stands in the way of future use.

The worldwide concrete industry is answerable for around 5% of worldwide carbon dioxide discharges. In Lebanon, the concrete business is the biggest wellspring of carbon dioxide. Notwithstanding carbon dioxide, concrete processing plants additionally discharge Nitrogen Oxide, Sulfur Monoxide, and Carbon Monoxide in the air. High centralizations of these poisons in the air effects affect the human body and furthermore cause ecological issues, for example, ozone exhaustion, water quality decay and corrosive downpour. Relief measures for concrete processing plants exist however require usage and steady follow up of a complete natural moderation plan.

However, leading cement companies in Lebanon like Holcim assures that its main priorities are to continually control and reduce atmospheric emissions as well as investing to ensure the regular maintenance of their equipment and are committed to regularly measure emissions in order to control their atmospheric emissions. Until 2015, they have successfully reduced net specific CO2 per ton of cementitious materials by 20% and decreased the levels of fugitive dust by a whopping 71% in the last 10 years, which is a step in the right direction towards an environmentally considerate manufacturer of cement in Lebanon.

Check Our Latest Products