Holcim Cement Plant Westport

Holcim Cement Works Westport: A Major Demolition and Clearance Project

Project Overview:

The Holcim Cement Works Westport project stands as one of New Zealand’s largest and most complex demolition and clearance undertakings to date. This extensive project required a diverse range of heavy machinery, from 20-tonne to 220-tonne capacity, to efficiently execute the tasks at hand.

Originally slated for an 18-month completion, Nikau has accelerated the project timeline and is on track to finish within 15 months. The project scope expanded to include additional civil works as requested by Holcim, demonstrating our adaptability and commitment to meeting client needs. The operational area covered approximately 200 hectares across several sites in Cape Foulwind and Westport.

Project Details:

• Asbestos Removal: The site contained 33,000 m² of asbestos exterior cladding, with historical clinker cement adhering to an average layer of 100mm density. The asbestos removal was performed under stringent Class A and Class B conditions, utilising crane man-cages and Work Safe NZ-approved controlled collapsing methodologies.

• Structural Demolition: The project involved the dismantling of heavy industrial infrastructure, including:

  • Three concrete chimneys, each 50 meters in height
  • Nine concrete silos, up to 40 meters tall, with three located on a seaside wharf adjacent to the township
  • Various cement holding tanks, silos, bag houses, laboratories, and other deteriorated structures

• Environmental and Safety Controls: Maintaining rigorous environmental controls was crucial. The project required:

  • Creating three consented internment cells for the safe disposal of asbestos-containing materials, followed by an approved capping process
  • Implementing strict health and safety measures, with open and ongoing communication between Holcim and Nikau management

• Recycling and Waste Management:

  • Recycling of over 12,000 tonnes of ferrous metals and 500 tonnes of non-ferrous metals
  • Recycling more than 50,000 m³ of concrete for backfilling of voids
  • Environmental removal of 400 tonnes of dry cement residue from silos
  • Site clearance and remediation across multiple locations in Westport

• Challenges and Solutions: The project faced several challenges, including:

  • Contaminated soils and adverse weather conditions
  • The isolated location of the site, which complicated logistics and operations

Nikau’s team successfully navigated these challenges, demonstrating exceptional skill and dedication. The project not only achieved record-low health and safety statistics but also provided valuable opportunities for training local employees in demolition and machinery operations, enhancing their future employment prospects.

The Holcim Cement Works Westport project reflects Nikau's capability to handle large-scale, complex deconstruction tasks while adhering to high standards of environmental stewardship and safety.