Loftorka Borgarnesi ehf. chosen MCT Italy for the design, production, and installation of two batching plants located in Borgarnes and Akureyri, Iceland, addressing some of the most extreme environmental challenges ever faced by our engineering team.
The first plant, ordered in June 2005, is a tower-type batching plant specially designed to withstand strong seismic activity and extreme wind pressures equivalent to hurricane forces (up to 310 kg/m²).
Understanding the peculiarities of Iceland’s geography and climate was crucial: the island, of volcanic origin and crossed by the Arctic Circle, presents unique technical challenges with its highly abrasive aggregates and harsh environmental conditions.
The plant was fully insulated with over 1,000 square meters of 100 mm thick polyurethane sandwich panels, covering the aggregate bins, cement silos, and admixture tanks. A dedicated hot air injection system ensures a constant temperature for all components, guaranteeing consistent concrete quality even during the severe Icelandic winters.
- 600 m³ aggregate storage
- 500 tons cement and powders storage across six silos
- Two mixers with a total production capacity of 100 m³/h
- High-speed overhead bucket conveyors for concrete delivery
- Water weighing systems capable of handling cold, warm, and recycled water
- Twelve liquid admixture dosing systems
- High-pressure mixer washout system, dust suppression, and full water recycling
- Customized solution: structure designed to withstand wind pressure up to 310 kg/m²
The installation process itself was a major logistical feat, taking place during the dark Icelandic autumn with very limited daylight and involving the shipment of twenty-seven 40-foot containers over three weeks.
Following the success of the first project, in April 2006 Loftorka ordered a second batching plant for their Akureyri site, located only 80 km from the Arctic Circle.
This second plant was tailored to fit into an existing shipyard building, transforming it into a modern precast concrete production facility.
MCT Italy’s ability to adapt and customize the solutions to such demanding needs earned high praise from the customer, who defined us as “an excellent partner able to develop optimal solutions according to all customer needs.”
