Holcim Czech - History

The history of mining limestone in Prachovice goes back several centuries back, the production history of lime and cement dates to the middle of the 19th century.
1870
Already around 1870, a chain of small mines and limekilns opened in Prachovice and in the surrounding villages.
1873
A cylinder limekiln heated by coal and wood was established in Prachovice.
1874
In this year, Josef Klimpl built the first circular kiln and in the same period two other kilns were also built in Vápenný Podol. The daily output in these kilns was about 20 tons.
1880
In this year J. Musil built two shaft kilns in Prachovice and at the same time two were built also in Závratec.
1884
Both kilns in Závratec were purchased by the D. Berl company with its headquarters in Vienna. This company also leased the limestone mines in Prachovice from prince Kinsky.
1913
A Czech business company starts to build a limekiln.
1939
D. Berl was bought out by the concern Kralodvorské cement plant with its headquarters in Prague. In this period Berl owned real estate and quarries in Prachovice, limekilns in Závratec and a cableway for the transport of limestone from Prachovice. The planned construction of the cement plant in Prachovice was halted by the war.
1945
In this year, the Kralodvorské cement plant were nationalized.
1950
The collapse of the national concern Prachovice cement plant and limekiln gave the beginning for cement plant.
1956
Three rotary kilns were put into production using the wet production method.
1960
The cement plant was added to the concern of production economic units CEVA with the headquarters in Prague.
1977-1980
During this period a new plant with the dry production method and an extensive degree of automation was being constructed.
1980
The beginning of the Cement Plants and Limekilns Prachovice (CEVA) concern.
1981
The closing of production in the old plant.
1991
The establishment of a National Joint-Stock Company.
1992
With the entrance of the Swiss company “HOLDERBANK” Financiére Glarus AG important changes were begun in the production process and in the areas of environmental and personal policies.
1993
The company enters under the trade mark CEVA and “PRACHOVICE”, including subsidiaries, which concentrate on the mining of aggregates and sand, the production of lime, ready-mix concrete, the production of locking concrete paving tiles, alternative fuels and wastes.
2000
The sale of the subsidiary Vápenka Prachovice – lime production.
2001
The change of the name Cement Plants and Limekilns Prachovice to Holcim (Česko) a.s. The introduction of new business brand Holcim in the sense of changing the identity of the parent company Holcim Ltd. The main commodity besides cement are also aggregates and ready-mix concrete – produced by subsidiaries of Holcim beton in Pardubice and Holcim kamenivo in Dobřín.
2003
With the sale of the subsidiary EKOCEM (concrete products) and the merger of Holcim beton and Holcim kamenivo, Holcim (Česko) a.s. becomes one of the leading suppliers of cement, aggregates and ready-mixed concrete.
2003 – 2006
Further investments aimed at reduction of energy consumption, increase of utilization of alternative fuels and improvement of environmental protection. Electrofilters in the Prachovice plant fully replaced by more efficient bag filters at the beginning of 2006. Installation of the new filters crowned the long-term investment effort of Holcim to implement the state-of-the-art technilogy for reduction of dust emissions.