Poraver North America (PNA) selected Ausenco to assess, quantify, engineer and develop the design for an new state-of-the-art North American manufacturing facility.
PNA manufactures and distributes Poraver®, expanded lightweight glass beads (04 to 8 mm in diameter) using all colours of recycled “Blue Box” glass as the base material.
Originating in Germany, the existing manufacturing process represented the culmination of 20 years of development in bringing lab results to a full scale mass production facility.
Existing clay expanding equipment and used cement handling equipment were modified, added, and re-modified routinely over this period, resulting in a process that could produce Poraver®, but was inherently convoluted and undocumented.
Ausenco assessed the existing process, designed and constructed the first North American facility on a fast track schedule.
To improve accessibility to equipment, a Maximum Gravity Flow concept was used in the design of the material handling processes. The plant was constructed with a 33 m high roof, which incorporates multiple standardised working levels.
Modularisation of key process functions and phased design, procurement, construction and commissioning program allowed portions of the facility to be constructed before the design completion.
Constructed in a sensitive ground water recharge zone, the plant has zero process water/effluent discharge to the environment. An intense safety program incorporated work practices that minimised risk. The facility was constructed on budget with zero loss time accidents.