ABB Drives 9% Production Boost at Nordkalk's Finnish Limestone Plant with Expert Optimizer

ABB’s award‑winning Expert Optimizer has lifted productivity by 9 % at Nordkalk’s Lohja limestone processing plant in Finland, demonstrating the impact of advanced process control in energy‑intensive operations.

Nordkalk, the premier producer of premium limestone‑based products across northern Europe, operates 20 sites in five countries. The Lohja facility, one of the region’s largest, integrates an underground mine, crushing plant, and lime kiln.

In 2006 ABB assumed full‑site maintenance under a comprehensive Full Service contract, pledging to enhance productivity and reduce maintenance costs. Leveraging its deep expertise as the global leader in power, automation, and optimization for the cement sector, ABB proposed installing Expert Optimizer to address a longstanding production and fuel‑consumption challenge within the kiln—the linchpin of lime production.

Before deployment, determining the optimal operating point was difficult because the kiln processed several feed types, each with distinct properties. Expert Optimizer automatically identifies the best operating conditions for each feed, maximizing throughput while minimizing fuel use.

The result was a 9 % increase in output, alongside measurable gains in energy efficiency and equipment reliability. In a typical Full Service agreement, ABB and the customer jointly set performance targets across maintenance spend, plant availability, reliability, energy efficiency, and safety.

Expert Optimizer, originally developed for the cement industry, now serves all process industries. It has earned the Global Fuels Award for “Most Innovative Technology for Electrical Energy Efficiency” in 2008 and has delivered productivity gains of 3‑10 % across more than 200 facilities worldwide.

With over 150 Full Service agreements spanning cement plants, petrochemical refineries, pulp and paper mills, oil and gas sites, steel mills, and consumer goods factories, ABB continues to demonstrate its capacity to deliver tangible operational benefits globally.