Rising coal prices prompt Castle Cement to search for alternative

Castle Cement has switched to alternative fuels to offset price rises in the cement making
process.
"The delivered cost of coal into the UK (a primary source of energy for the cement making process) has risen by more than 50%. This is a combination of imported coal prices increasing in the country of origin and shipping costs rising by record levels due to China's increased consumption of raw materials creating a shortage of capacity," said Stuart Crisp, Castle Cement's marketing manager.
"The impact of these increases has been mitigated in Castle Cement through the use of alternative fuels, which can provide a cheaper source of energy. They also reduce environmental impact by using materials that would have otherwise been sent to landfill for disposal or incinerated," he explained.
However, some cost increases, such as electricity prices, cannot be offset.
"Rises of 20% to 30% have been experienced. Despite these sharp increases and their influence on production costs, cement prices in the UK have not surged over the past year," said Crisp.
Overall, the price increase Castle Cement will pass on to its customers is expected to
be minimal.