Skokie, Ill.-based Construction Technology Laboratories Inc. (CTL), the independent expert on cement and concrete materials technology, and Penta Engineering Corp. of St. Louis, one of the largest independent consulting and engineering firms, announced the formation of a strategic business alliance. The alliance brings together a combination of services and resources from market assessment and plant design to process and product optimization.

The multi-disciplinary nature of the teams of professionals within Penta-CTL Consultants enables the alliance to offer a range of services, including:

• Feasibility studies for complete modernization and expansion of cement plants.

• Process design to improve production efficiency, increase capacity, and enhance product quality while ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.

• Complete plant design, including equipment specifications, electrical and instrumentation engineering, and assistance in equipment selection and procurement.

• Guidance on selecting raw feed components to enhance burnability and grindability, resulting in improved product quality and energy savings.

• Determining causes of kiln system buildups and recommending remedies to minimize or eliminate process disruptions.

• Assessing the suitability of alternative raw materials and fuels in production, as well as implementing process refinements to control volatile organics and other sources of emissions present in the kiln feed.

• Assessing the impact of production and raw material changes on the performance of cementitious materials in concrete.

• Troubleshooting performance problems associated with raw feed, clinker, cement, and concrete, as well as construction-related problems.