Consumer number 2 - the building industry

Before the invention of industrially produced cement in the second half of the 19^th century, lime was the most important hydraulic binder for the production of mortar. Even today, lime mortar is used in the renovation of historic buildings because its elasticity does not allow stress to build up in the masonry and thus does not damage its structure. Another application of quicklime is the production of plaster. 

Lime's properties as a hydraulic binder also prove their worth when lime is used as a soil stabiliser: that is why lime is often used in large infrastructure projects such as the construction of roads or airports.

Finally, quicklime is also needed for the production of building materials themselves. Aerated concrete and sand-lime bricks are typical examples. For their production, a rather hard-burnt lime, such as can be produced in the Maerz HPS kilns, is used.