The year 1900 was important for two significant events in the UK cement industry: in July, the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers (APCM) formed, unifying more than half the industry in a single company, and in December, the first successful rotary kiln was commissioned. In the nineteenth century, the UK cement industry was characterised mainly by clinker production using batch processes; surplus capacity could be stood down for long periods without incurring significant costs. In the twentieth century, the capacity of a cement plant became defined by the capacity of its rotary kilns, which were expensive capital equipment that had to be exhaustively exploited. As a result, expansion and contraction of the industry became locked into the broad economic cycles. Because the cement industry was subject to cycles of greater amplitude than those of the general economy, its progress was characterised by fairly infrequent periods of frantic construction and retrenchment. There follows a year-by-year description of this process.
1900
Home sales were 2.13m tons. Exports were 0.384m tons. In this year, an economic downturn followed three boom years. In July, APCM gathered in a small number of relatively large, efficient plants, and a large number of small, inefficient plants. They had commenced construction of 36 rotary kilns, of Hurry & Seaman design and supplied by Fellner & Ziegler, and intended to shut down inefficient capacity progressively as these were commissioned. Eliminating over-capacity would prevent price wars during downturns. Several companies outside APCM were also installing rotary kilns. During the year, the first two APCM Thamesside plant closures occurred: Nine Elms was a plant with bottle kilns, and Tower was a chamber kiln plant. At the same time in the provinces two insignificant and short-lived plants began: Hartlepools and Pylle - both with static kilns. Towards the end of the year, the first successful experimental home-made rotary kiln commenced at Martin Earles. The net effect of these small changes was a 1% drop in national capacity.
1901
Home sales were 2.15m tons. Exports were 0.395m tons. Trade remained at the previous year's depressed level. In this year, three APCM chamber kiln plants in the Medway area shut down: Bridge, Elmley and Globe. A new plant - Saxon, with continuous shaft kilns, started up. The APCM rotary kiln campaign got underway, with ten kilns at Swanscombe and six at Wouldham. Outside APCM, two small rotary kilns were started at Shoreham, of Lathbury & Spackman design and supplied by FLS. At Penarth, two old Ransome rotary kilns were started with pulverised coal firing. The net effect was a 7% increase in national capacity.
1902
Home sales were 2.21m tons. Exports were 0.342m tons. Demand was again flat. Six APCM chamber kiln plants were shut down: four on the Thames - Britannia, Crown, Rainham and Westons, and two on the Medway - Cuxton and Upnor. However, the small chamber kiln plant of Sharps Green commenced in this year. Within APCM, another six rotary kilns lit up at Swanscombe, completing the planned set of sixteen. Outside APCM, a small FLS rotary kiln was installed at Newhaven. Overall, there was no net change in national capacity.
1903
Home sales were 2.28m tons. Exports were 0.521m tons. Demand began to pick up but foreign competition increased. Three more small static kiln plants shut down: the APCM Faversham plant, the tiny independent plant at Hauxton, Cambridge, and the Northam plant in Southampton recently bought out by Sussex Portland Cement. However, a new chamber kiln plant was commenced at Lewes. At Wouldham, the success of the rotary kilns allowed them to shut down their chamber kilns. At Martin Earles, following improvements to their experimental rotary kiln, they installed nine larger rotary kilns of their own construction. At Stoneferry, Hull, the first pair of 30 m kilns, provided by Polysius, were installed. The APCM rotary kiln programme continued with two at Arlesey. The net effect was a 6% increase in national capacity.
1904
Home sales were 2.34m tons. Exports were 0.418m tons. The market continued depressed, but expectations of improvement, coupled with the floundering condition of APCM, caused its competitors to make large investments. The rotary kilns at Swanscombe were producing sufficient to allow them to de-commission the last of their chamber kilns. Also shut down was the Standard plant in Cambridgeshire. Apart from these, the year was one of bold expansion. The APCM project continued with eight rotary kilns at Bevans. Elsewhere, another seven were installed at Martin Earles. In Cambridgeshire, the Norman plant was established with five F&Z dry process rotary kilns. Scotland's first plant, with four Schneider kilns, was established at Cousland, Midlothian. In County Durham, the Warren plant installed its first rotary kiln - a 30 m F&Z kiln. Nearby, Casebourne's established a brand-new plant, intended to replace its Cliff House plant, at Billingham. This had four 30 m F&Z rotary kilns. All this led to an 11% increase in national capacity.
1905
Home sales were 2.41m tons. Exports were 0.451m tons. Another expansion year resulted from investment in lower-cost capacity, despite onlt a slightly improved market. The small Hartlepools plant closed after only five years. Two 30 m F&Z rotary kilns were installed at West Kent, allowing them to close their chamber kiln plant at Aylesford. The Warren plant installed a second 30 m rotary kiln. The Sundon plant in Bedfordshire, previously operating with chamber and shaft kilns, installed an 18 m FLS rotary kiln. A brand-new plant with two Polysius 30 m rotary kilns was installed at Beddington. Within APCM, two more rotary kilns were installed at Bevans, but the final two of their complement were shelved for the time being. The Hurry & Seaman designed kilns so far installed by APCM had proved to have excessive fuel consumption, disappointing output, and major dust emission concerns, so a massive programme of modifications began, redesigning coolers, lengthening the kilns and building higher stacks. This process began at Swanscombe with six kilns lengthened to 31 m and coolers converted to one-stage, producing a 36% increase in capacity. The net effect of all changes was a 5% increase in national capacity.
1906
Home sales were 2.55m tons. Exports were 0.615m tons. Expectations of improved trade were boosted by the San Francisco earthquake. Two long-standing static kiln plants shut down: Dovercourt (Harwich) and Teynham, near Sittingbourne. The short-lived Atlas plant opened at Neath. A third rotary kiln was lit up at Stoneferry, and the old-established Wilmington plant in Hull installed its first two rotary kilns - 30 m Polysius kilns. In APCM, the process of enlarging rotary kilns continued. The first eight Bevans kilns were extended to 40 m with enlarged back-ends, more than doubling their capacities. The rest of the Swanscombe kilns were extended to 31 m. The net effect was a 6% increase in national capacity.
1907
Home sales were 2.68m tons. Exports were 0.764m tons. The San Francisco earthquake demand tailed off soon, and several years of sluggish growth ensued. A lot of old plant was immediately shut down. The Waldringfield plant, near Ipswich, was shut down with the intention eventually to replace it with a new plant at Claydon. APCM consolidated the remaining five plants on Limehouse Reach, Frindsbury, forming the Crown & Quarry plant, with a capacity reduction of 60%. At Bevans, the remaining static kilns were de-commissioned. However, outside APCM, a number of significant new ventures began. A 30 m Polysius kiln was lit at Crosfield's, Warrington. A third F&Z kiln was installed at West Kent. Johnsons began their use of rotary kilns with three 34 m FLS kilns of a new design. A similar kiln was also installed at Newhaven. Newell became the first UK company to supply rotary kilns, with a 37 m wet process kiln at Mitcheldean and a 25 m dry process kiln at Kirtlington. Within APCM, kiln modifications continued at Swanscombe, with all sixteen rotary kilns equipped with enlarged back ends as at Bevans, lengthening them to 40 m, giving a further 55% capacity increase. At Wouldham, lengthening the kilns was limited by available space, but the Hurry & Seaman coolers were replaced and the burning zones extended on kilns 1-4, yielding a 28% capacity increase. The net effect was a 4% increase in national capacity.
1908
Home sales were 2.51m tons. Exports were 0.624m tons. Trade fell back. The small Atlas and Meldreth plants were shut down. Within APCM, the London Portland chamber kiln plant was shut down in favour of the adjacent Bevans. Various companies continued cautious investment in rotary kilns. At Jarrow, a 37 m Newell wet process kiln was installed. At Premier, a 30 m FLS dry process kiln was installed and their static kilns were shut down. At Southam two 30 m Polysius dry process kilns were installed and their static kilns were shut down. APCM continued modifying their rotary kilns: at Arlesey, the two kilns modified as at Swanscombe, doubling capacity. At Wouldham, kilns 5 and 6 were lengthened and kilns 1, 2, 5 and 6 had enlarged burning zones added, increasing capacity by 50%. The net effect was a 1% increase in national capacity.
1909
Home sales were 2.42m tons. Exports were 0.592m tons. Trade again fell. All the capacity changes were outside APCM. Small static kiln plants were shut down at Deptford (Sunderland) and Whitewall (Rochester). At Linley, near Walsall, a new plant with two Schneider kilns started. At Harbury, their first rotary kiln was installed - a 30 m kiln by Krupp. At Harefield, near Uxbridge, FLS installed a scaled-up version of their earlier kilns, at 43 m. But this was upstaged by Edgar Allen's first foray into kiln manufacture, with the UK's biggest kiln - the 46 m kiln 2 at Sundon. The net effect was a 2% increase in national capacity.
1910
Home sales were 2.49m tons. Exports were 0.718m tons. Trade entered a period of recovery and growth which continued up to the outbreak of war. Within APCM, the ancient Robins chamber kiln plant shut down in favour of the adjacent Bevans. The insignificant Much Wenlock plant shut down. Stockton, near Southam, a 43 m Edgar Allen rotary kiln was installed. On the strength of the success of the new kiln at Harefield, two similar kilns (Nos 7 & 8) were installed at Wouldham. The net effect was a 1% increase in national capacity. Towards the end of this year, APCM was progressively taken over by new investors, and the prospect of new development capital arose.
1911
Home sales were 2.61m tons. Exports were 0.732m tons. Trade continued to improve, and there was a desire to modernise old equipment and shake out old capacity. The takeover of APCM led to the formation of the subsidiary BPCM in December. This acquired a large number of plants, many of which had, or were planning, better and more modern equipment than APCM. No change took place in the APCM plants, but within BPCM, Wouldham shut down its remaining static kilns and the small chamber kiln plant at Dartford shut down. At Peters, a 50 m FLS rotary kiln was installed. A similar kiln was installed as kiln 4 at the neighbouring West Kent, which consequently shut down its static kilns. At Shoreham, a third rotary kiln was installed - a 50 m Krupp kiln. At Barton on Humber, a 46 m Edgar Allen kiln was installed. Among companies outside A/BPCM, in the northeast, the small static kiln plants of Union and North Hylton were shut down. The very small Rugby plant installed its first rotary kiln - a 37 m Newell kiln. Most significantly, the small chamber kiln plant at West Thurrock escaped the BPCM net, and was sold to FLS, who promptly shut it down in preparation for a complete re-build. The net effect was a 1% increase in national capacity.
1912
Home sales were 2.74m tons. Exports were 0.643m tons. The market continued its improvement, but the industry was affected by coal and dock stikes, the latter particularly affecting the Thames plants. There was a growing preparation for new plant installation. In APCM, after twelve years, another plant was provided with a rotary kiln: at Burham, the first of three 62 m Newell kilns was installed. However, Nos 1 & 2 kilns at Swanscombe were shut down and converted into coal dryers. In BPCM, a quantity of surplus capacity was shut down: static kiln plants at Queenborough, Wareham and Willington, and the static kilns at Stoneferry were shut down. At Norman, kilns 1 and 2 were shut down because the other three kilns were making the permitted output. At Wouldham, the country's biggest kiln yet was installed: kiln 9 was supplied by FLS and was 70 m long. Outside A/BPCM, Casebourne's Billingham plant was meeting their needs, so their static kiln plant at Cliff House was shut down. At Harbury a second rotary kiln was installed - a 37 m Newell kiln - allowing them to shut down their static kilns. The insignificant static kiln plant at Pylle shut down. A small rotary kiln apparently started at Lyme Regis. Much more significantly, the first rotary kiln - a 35 m dry process kiln of uncertain origin - commenced at the important Ellesmere Port plant. The net effect was no change in national capacity.
1913
Home sales were 2.88m tons. Exports were 0.747m tons. The period of rapid expansion continued. In APCM, the long-deferred kilns 11 and 12 were installed at Bevans. The second rotary kiln was started at Burham. The next plant to be given a rotary kiln was Vectis - a 40 m Newell kiln. At Arlesey, the two kilns were modified with enlarged burning zones, increasing capacity by 16%. In BPCM, the small static kiln plant at Sharps Green was shut down. At Barton, following success of their rotary kiln, shut down their static kilns. A second rotary kiln was installed at Peters. A kiln similar to those at Burham was installed at Johnsons. At Wilmington a third rotary kiln was installed. This was a 63 m FLS kiln. Outside A/BPCM, no less than five new rotary-based plants began operations. Rhoose, near Barry, started with a 59 m Polysius wet process kiln. The British Standard plant at Rainham, Kent, began with a 52 m Newell wet process kiln. The Masons plant near Ipswich began with a Polysius wet process kiln - a smaller version (36 m) of the Rhoose kiln. The Rochester plant at Halling, Kent began with a 30 m F&Z wet process kiln. The FLS plant at West Thurrock started with two 63 m kilns similar to that at Wilmington. Other plants were extended. A second dry process kiln was installed at Ellesmere Port. A 48 m Polysius wet process kiln - No.3 - was installed at Southam. At Stockton, a second kiln was added and the plant's static kilns were shut down. The net effect was a 15% increase in national capacity.
1914
Home sales were 2.35m tons. Exports were 0.583m tons. Boom conditions continued until abruptly halted by the outbreak of war. In APCM, the third kiln lit up at Burham. In BPCM, three static kiln plants were shut down: Afonwen in Denbighshire, Bridgwater and Falcon at Rainham, Kent. The redundant static kilns were shut down at Harefield, Jarrow and Martin Earles. A kiln similar to Wouldham No.9 was installed at Penarth. A new plant was started at Magheramorne near Larne, Co. Antrim, with an FLS 50 m wet process kiln. The majority of activity occurred outside A/BPCM. Small plants shut down at Deepfields, near Wolverhampton, and at Lyme Regis. The static kilns were shut down at Rugby. At Warren, a 37 m Newell kiln was started and the static kilns were shut down. At Barnstone in Nottinghamshire, the static kilns were supplemented with a 38 m Edgar Allen rotary kiln. At Ellesmere Port, a third dry process kiln was started. At Rochester, a second kiln was started, this time a 48 m Krupp kiln. Four completely new plants were started, all with rotary kilns: Cliffe on the Thames had a 62 m Newell kiln: Coltness near Motherwell had a 35 m dry process kiln for burning limestone/slag mixes: and Droylsden near Manchester apparently had a small kiln of uncertain origin. Most significant was Aberthaw, close to the Rhoose plant started the previous year, which had two 61 m Newell wet process kilns. The net effect was a 5% increase in national capacity.
1915
Home sales were 1.85m tons. Exports were 0.411m tons. Wartime loss of labour and market caused a rapid mothballing or shedding of redundant capacity, although some pre-war plans were still being implemented. In the northeast, the static kiln plants at Hebburn and South Hylton shut down. The primitive Romsey Town plant in Cambridge shut down. Within BPCM, Wilmington, now equipped with three rotary kilns, shut down the rest of its static kilns. The inefficient rotary kiln plant at Mitcheldean shut down. However, Rugby installed its second Newell rotary kiln. The net effect was a 2% fall in national capacity.
1916-1917
Home sales were 1.42m tons in 1916 and 1.18m tons in 1917. Exports were 0.335m tons in 1916 and 0.254m tons in 1917. With the cement industry treading water, few changes took place. Delayed modifications to kilns 9 & 10 at Bevans in 1916 increased them in length by 3 m, apparently only to access better draught. In 1917, the static kiln plant at Oldbury was shut down, and a third kiln was installed at Aberthaw. The net effect was a 1% increase in national capacity.
1918-1919
Home sales were 0.92m tons in 1918 and 1.38m tons in 1919. Exports were 0.198m tons in 1918 and 0.322m tons in 1919. Even after the end of the war, the return to a normal economy remained chaotic, and few strategic changes occurred. The commissioning of the slag-burning plant at Wishaw, deferred during the war, finally took place., giving Scotland three functional cement plants. At Crosfield's, a second identical kiln was added. The net effect was a 2% increase in national capacity.
1920
Home sales were 1.89m tons. Exports were 0.536m tons. There was a general feeling that the reinstatement of construction projects deferred by the war would lead to a boom period, and a number of cement industry expansion projects began. A/BPCM re-started a number of mothballed static kiln plants, both to meet expected demand and to allow a projected rebuild of Bevans. The insignificant Bottisham Lode plant shut down. A new plant started at Kirton Lindsey with a 45 m FLS kiln, and three existing plants added capacity. At Burham, a fourth kiln was added - a 62 m Vickers kiln. Vickers became the third UK supplier of kiln equipment after the war, when their decommissioned submarine yard at Barrow-in-Furness was converted for this purpose. At Coltness, a second kiln was added - a 38 m Pfeiffer dry process kiln. At Wilmington, kiln 4 was added, identical to kiln 3 installed before the war. The net effect was a 4% increase in national capacity.
1921
Home sales were 1.65m tons. Exports were 0.295m tons. This was a catastrophic year in which major industry expansion plans coincided with a major slump in the national economy. The failure of the expected boom was exacerbated for the cement industry by continental inflation, which made imports cheap and exports impossible. Many plants temporarily ceased production during the three-month coal strike. After much dithering, APCM finally decided to shut down Bevans for a rebuild which took five years to complete. Many hastily-reinstated static kiln plants were equally hastily permanently shut down. In APCM, in addition to Bevans, Borstal Court, Borstal Manor, Cliffe Quarry and Thames were shut down. In BPCM, Weekes was shut down, but two plants were expanded: a second identical kiln was installed at Magheramorne, and at Johnsons, kiln 5 - another 62 m Vickers kiln - was installed, although the obsolete kilns 1-3 were shut down. Outside A/BPCM, the insignificant Clitheroe shut down, but the previously dry process Ellesmere Port was radically redesigned with the 61 m Newells wet process kiln 4. Two significant new plants started. Chinnor was started, bizarrely, with chamber kilns. This was the last plant to be started from scratch with static kilns. Humber, near Hull, after a long delay due to lack of capital and overspend, finally started its first kiln in December - a 61 m Edgar Allen kiln. The net effect was a 7% fall in national capacity.
1922
Home sales were 2.05m tons. Exports were 0.412m tons. The combination of retrenchment and expansion continued. APCM permanently shut down its briefly-revived static kiln plants at Grays, Greenhithe, Imperial and Shield. However, it bought the Kent plant. This had been launched as a disruptive independent during the war, but had been slow to commission, and only started up in early 1922, with two 75 m FLS kilns - then the UK's biggest. BPCM permanently shut down its briefly-revived static kiln plants at Albion, Artillery and Red Lion. The static kilns at Peters were shut down. Two plants were updated: the sixteen old rotary kilns at Martin Earles were replaced with a 61 m Vickers kiln, as were the remaining three old rotary kilns at Norman. The independent Humber plant started its second kiln. The net effect was a 2% fall in national capacity.
1923
Home sales were 2.41m tons. Exports were 0.594m tons. The recovery continued. BPCM shut down the decrepit Jarrow plant - the last plant on the Tyne. Rugby shut down its redundant static kiln plant at Newbold. Among independents a number of expansion plans came to fruition. At British Standard a second kiln was added - a 60 m kiln probably by Vickers. At Masons a second kiln was added - 36 m Edgar Allen kiln. At Rhoose a second kiln was added - a 59 m FLS kiln. At West Thurrock a third kiln was added - a 63 m FLS kiln with the first UK satellite cooler. At Billingham, all four rotary kilns were lengthened by 27%, yielding an output improvement. The net effect was a 4% increase in national capacity.
1924
Home sales were 2.81m tons. Exports were 0.644m tons. The market finally got back to the 1913 level. A reorganisation took place in A/BPCM management, which then committed to major expansion. The process began with the shutdown of Kiln 3 at Swanscombe in preparation for a complete re-build. In BPCM, the high-cost Cousland plant, with shaft kilns, was shut down. The static kilns at Johnsons and Gateshead, kept as reserve capacity, were shut down. The Newhaven plant was shut down, as were the small kilns 1-3 at West Kent. Among independents, the tiny static kiln Saffron Walden plant shut down, but a number of plants expanded. Cliffe installed a similar second kiln, as did Kirton Lindsey. At Harbury, a third kiln - a 49 m Edgar Allen kiln - was installed, and Kilns 1 & 2 were extended to 48 and 49 m respectively. A new plant began at Holborough, with a 61 m Vickers kiln. The Harbury and Holborough projects were the first actions of the incipient Red Triangle organisation. The net effect was a 1% increase in national capacity.
1925
Home sales were 3.069m tons. Exports were 0.695m tons. Demand again improved. This year, the nascent Red Triangle group began to form, while there was a general contraction in the market. APCM shut down the static kilns at Crown & Quarry. BPCM shut down the Lee's and West Kent plants in the Medway valley, but lit up the third kiln - a 61 m Vickers kiln - at Humber. The second kiln lit up at Holborough. The insignificant plant at Brading shut down. The net effect was a 2% fall in national capacity.
1926
Home sales were 3.116m tons. Exports were 0.548m tons. This year, demand continued to improve, but sales fell back with the effect of the General Strike. There was aggressive expansion of the industry. The Red Triangle group formally launched and prepared to compete with A/BPCM (by now to be known as Blue Circle). There was some shedding of obsolete capacity; Blue Circle shut down its static kilns at Arlesey and Vectis. Small static kiln independents at Ashby's and Cam Blue Lias shut down. Coltness shut down its smaller Kiln 1. But the dominant event of the year was Blue Circle's reopening, with enormous fanfare, of Bevans, with three new 76 m Vickers kilns - then the UK's biggest. They also started a rotary kiln at Crown & Quarry - a 61 m Vickers kiln - and a second identical kiln at Martin Earles. However, the expansion of the Red Triangle group was proportionally even greater. The new Dunstable plant started up, with two 61 m Edgar Allen kilns: the large static kiln plant at Sittingbourne installed its first rotary kiln - a 70 m FLS kiln - and a third identical kiln was started at Holborough. Among smaller companies, Rugby shut down its Kiln 1, replacing it with a larger Kiln 3 - a 43 m Edgar Allen kiln. Casebourne's (Billingham) was reorganised with capital input from Synthetic Ammonia & Nitrates (SA&N) to expand the plant. In December, ICI was formed, encompassing SA&N and other chemical firms. The net effect was a 14% increase in national capacity.
1927
Home sales were 3.234m tons. Exports were 0.754m tons. This year, with a return to growth, continuing expansions in new capacity were accompanied by the shedding of obsolete capacity. Blue Circle permanently shut down its remaining static kilns kept in reserve at Burham, Penarth and Shoreham. They shut down the Schneider kiln based Saxon plant. They also shut down two uneconomic rotary kiln based plants on the Humber: Barton and Stoneferry. In the Red Triangle group, a sixth kiln - a 61 m Newell kiln - was started at Ellesmere Port and at Sittingbourne, a second identical rotary kiln was installed and the remaining static kilns were shut down. Among the independents, Eastwoods started up its long-delayed plant at Barrington with a 61 m Vickers kiln. At Billingham, the first larger ICI-financed kiln - an 82 m FLS kiln - was started. The net effect was a 2% fall in national capacity.
1928
Home sales were 3.433m tons. Exports were 0.900m tons. In an up-beat year, several major modernisation schemes proceeded, while obsolete capacity from the first decade of the century was discarded. Blue Circle shut down its large Schneider kiln plant at Halling Manor and its early rotary kiln plants at Peters and Premier. They started a fourth kiln at Bevans - an 86 m FLS kiln. At Johnsons, Kilns 6 & 7 started. These were 91 m Vickers Armstrong kilns and were the UK's biggest to date. At Sundon, Kiln 3 - another 46 m Edgar Allen kiln - was installed, and the chamber kilns and the early rotary kiln 1 were shut down. The rebuild of Swanscombe continued, involving the shut-down of the origional kilns 4 & 5. Among independents, two chamber kilnplants were provided with rotary kilns. Chinnor installed a 50 m Edgar Allen kiln, and Lewes installed a 50 m FLS kiln and shut down its chamber kilns. The Red Triangle group began a price war against Blue Circle - and lost, leaving them in a vulnerable state. The net effect was a 5% increase in national capacity.
1929
Home sales were 3.536m tons. Exports were 1.092m tons. The market continued to improve, and reached a peak prior to onset of financial depression. Many new kilns started, and many old ones stopped. Most significantly, Blue Circle started three new kilns - 120 m FLS kilns - the longest at the time - at Swanscombe, and the old kilns 6-16 were shut down. Kilns 1-6 at Wouldham were also shut down. The new plant at Hope, near Sheffield, was opened with two 82 m FLS kilns. The Harefield plant was closed. The old kilns at Beddington were converted for Britain's first white cement production. The nearly bankrupt Red Triangle only shut down kilns: Kiln 1 at British Standard and kilns 1-3 at Ellesmere Port. Among independents, the new plant at Ketton started with one 78 m FLS kiln. At West Thurrock, kiln 4 - a 92 m FLS kiln - was started. At Billingham, a second modern kiln - an 88 m Vickers Armstrong kiln - was started and the old small kilns 1-4 were shut down. The old plant at Kirtlington was shut down and a larger replacement plant was started at Shipton on Cherwell nearby. It had two 61 m Edgar Allen kilns. Two small plants shut down: the Schneider kiln Isis plant at Clitheroe, and the waste processing Crosfield's plant at Warrington closed following start of a different waste treatment process. The Lewes plant was taken over by Eastwood's. The net effect was a 5% increase in national capacity.
1930
Home sales were 3.507m tons. Exports were 0.814m tons. Financial crises undid the previous year's market improvement. There were few events. In Blue Circle, at Wouldham, a larger Kiln 10 was installed - a 96 m Vickers Armstrong kiln - but Kiln 4 at Burham was shut down. The independent Gillingham plant started a rotary kiln - a 61 m Edgar Allen kiln - and shut down its chamber kilns. At Billingham, the first Anhydrite Process kiln - 65 m Vickers Armstrong kiln - was lit up, but it failed to make product. The net effect was a 2% increase in national capacity.
1931
Home sales were 4.184m tons. Exports were 0.507m tons. There was a temporary recovery. Expansions were the result of earlier projects. Red Triangle finally called in the receiver, who shut down the small static kiln Rhee Valley plant. Their other six cement plants were bought by Blue Circle, who immediately shut down British Standard and kiln 6 at Ellesmere Port. Blue Circle also shut down the Shoreham plant for a re-build. Among independents, the chamber kilns were shut down at Chinnor. At Warren (Hartlepool) the small rotary kiln 1 was shut down. At Billingham, the anhydrite process kiln finally made product. At Barrington, Kiln 2, identical to Kiln 1, was started. At West Thurrock, Kiln 5, identical to Kiln 4, was started. There was no net change in national capacity.
1932
Home sales were 3.430m tons. Exports were 0.528m tons. In the deepest point of the depression, there was a temporary crash in the market, although the underlying trend in cement use was upwards through the rest of the decade. The industry made few small changes. Blue Circle shut down its Arlesey plant, which was out of raw materials. It shut down the hopelessly inefficient Ellesmere Port plant: the remaining four ex-Red Triangle plants were scheduled for enhancement. In preparation for that, Kiln 1 at Harbury was shut down. Kilns 1&2 at Humber were modified with enlarged burning zones. At Swanscombe, two of the old small kilns were rebuilt and commissioned for white cement manufacture. Among independents, the small Schneider kiln plant at Burwell (Cambridgeshire) shut down. A new plant started at Rodmell, Sussex, with a 71 m Edgar Allen kiln. The net effect was a 2% fall in national capacity.
1933
Home sales were 4.108m tons. Exports were 0.400m tons. The post-depression bounce-back began. Blue Circle relocated two kilns: at Harbury, a replacement Kiln 1 was started - it was Kiln 6 relocated from Ellesmere Port. Shoreham re-started with an FLS kiln relocated from Peters. They shut down the old Beddington plant, which had been piloting production of white cement, but was now superceded by the white plant at Swanscombe. Among independents, the Rodmell plant was bought by A Y Gowen, under the name of Alpha Cement, commencing a new manufacturing group. At Oxford, Kiln 2 was fitted with a calcinator, and Kiln 1 was replaced with a new kiln - a 44 m MIAG kiln with calcinator. At Ketton, a second kiln identical to the first was started. The net effect was a 5% increase in national capacity.
1934
Home sales were 4.935m tons. Exports were 0.500m tons. A succession of six record sales years began, and the industry began construction of major new capacity. The net effect was a 6% increase in national capacity.
1935
Home sales were 5.268m tons. Exports were 0.525m tons. The net effect was an 8% increase in national capacity.
1936
Home sales were 6.044m tons. Exports were 0.618m tons. The net effect was a 3% increase in national capacity.
1937
Home sales were 6.606m tons. Exports were 0.663m tons. The net effect was a 16% increase in national capacity.
1938
Home sales were 6.963m tons. Exports were 0.688m tons. The net effect was a 9% increase in national capacity.
1939
Home sales were 7.587m tons. Exports were 0.665m tons. The net effect was a 2% increase in national capacity.
1940
Home sales were 6.766m tons. Exports were 0.424m tons. The net effect was a 1% increase in national capacity.
1941
Home sales were 6.774m tons. Exports were 0.369m tons.
1942
Home sales were 7.001m tons. Exports were 0.259m tons. Sales picked up due to defence work.
1943
Home sales were 6.728m tons. Exports were 0.242m tons. The end of airborn threats saw defence work cement usage sharply decline.
1944
Home sales were 4.120m tons. Exports were 0.440m tons. Production contracted due to falling market and labour shortage.
1945
Home sales were 3.303m tons. Exports were 0.767m tons. Production continued to fall until hostilities ceased.
1946
Home sales were 5.869m tons. Exports were 0.736m tons. Rapid recovery of market began, and expansion continued until 1956.
1947
Home sales were 6.139m tons. Exports were 0.812m tons. Recovery continued but was restricted by coal supply problems.
1948
Home sales were 6.900m tons. Exports were 1.598m tons. Recovery was again rapid, and reached pre-war levels.
1949
Home sales were 7.333m tons. Exports were 1.855m tons.
1950
Home sales were 7.604m tons. Exports were 2.077m tons.
1951
Home sales were 7.876m tons. Exports were 2.305m tons.
1952
Home sales were 8.573m tons. Exports were 2.599m tons.
1953
Home sales were 9.466m tons. Exports were 2.472m tons.
1954
Home sales were 9.668m tons. Exports were 2.283m tons.
1955
Home sales were 10.697m tons. Exports were 1.816m tons.
1956
Home sales were 11.270m tons. Exports were 1.490m tons. Market peaked at 55% above 1939 levels, but was sharply affected by the effects of the Suez Crisis.
It will be appreciated that this page is a work in progress, and will eventually extend to the end of the century and beyond.