Italcementi opens new Rezzato production line

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has officially switched on the new kiln at the 726 Italcementi cement plant in Rezzato, which has undergone an extensive revamp in the last two years to become one of the top-performing plants in Europe from the production and environmental viewpoints.

"An investment of more than 150 million euro completed just as our company celebrates its 150th anniversary," said Italcementi chief executive, Carlo Pesenti.

"The new Rezzato plant is the best expression of the group’s strategy: industrial development combined with a firm commitment to innovation and environmental performance.

"The Rezzato plant revamp is part of the Pact for the Environment signed by Italcementi and the Ministry in July 2009, which set out an investment programme for the renewal of our industrial network and attainment of ambitious environmental targets.

"Our commitment also includes 6699 Italgen, the Italcementi Group company that produces energy entirely from renewable sources. In addition to the Rezzato revamp, to date the Italcementi investment plan has also seen a complete technological upgrade at our Matera facility, officially opened two years ago."

The start-up of the new Rezzato kiln marks the start of operations at a revamped industrial location with an annual cement production capacity of more than 1 million tonnes.

Products manufactured in Rezzato include white cement, highly prized by the architectural community for its aesthetic qualities. Rezzato also produces the basic material for the new biodynamic cement to be used to construct the external structure of Palazzo Italia at Expo 2015.