Essroc Cement of Nazareth, Penn., a subsidiary of Italcementi Group of Bergamo, Italy, is continuing its North American cement plant expansion and modernizations.

Essroc has begun demolition work in preparation for a $300 million modernization at the company's cement plant in Martinsburg, W. Va. Essroc recently awarded FL Smidth Inc. of Bethlehem, Penn. the engineering and equipment contract for a new 5,000-ton per day dry process kiln line, which includes a rotary kiln, preheater, and clinker cooler. Once operational in 2008, the new plant will produce 1.8 million tons per year.

This new capacity will replace about 800,000 tons per year of capacity from the existing three wet process kilns at the Martinsburg plant and about 510,000 tons per year of capacity from the company's cement plant in Frederick, Md. representing an increase in capacity of about 38 percent.

Essroc acquired the Martinsburg cement plant as part of its May 2002 acquisition of Capitol Materials Corp. In 2005, Essroc completed a $50 million modernization at its Nazareth cement plant.