Newsroom
  • Xella.com
  • Contact
  • en
  • |
  • de
  • News
  • Press
    • Media Library
  • Themes
    • Company
    • Digitalization
    • Innovation
    • People
    • References
    • Sustainability
  • About
Search
  • en
  • |
  • de
  • News
  • Press
    • Media Library
  • Themes
    • Company
    • Digitalization
    • Innovation
    • People
    • References
    • Sustainability
  • About

When technology meets sustainability: relocating a ball mill

After providing reliable service for nearly two decades at the German plant in Wedel, the ball mill has found a new home at the AAC plant in Mios, France. This logistical feat has become a real showcase project thanks to dedicated teamwork and clever planning.   

16 October, 2025

Originally purchased in 1996 for the German plant in Melle, the ball mill has been used to crush or grind sand. It operated there until the Melle plant closed in 2002 and the mill was relocated to Wedel. When the Wedel site closed at the end of 2023, the question arose: what would happen to the mill? Should it be scrapped or can it be reused? Josef Rohlf, Project Manager Technical Department at Xella Baustoffe, together with Andreas van Briel, CTO Market Area NWE & Head of Group Plant Engineering & Technology, had the idea of repurposing the mill.

An idea becomes a plan

During a visit with our French team in the AAC-plant in Mios in early 2024, the idea developed further into a plan: the ball mill should be used as a replacement for the local, “aging” machinery. “Together with our French colleagues Patrice André, project lead, and Cédric Beaubois, Maintenance Manager Xella France, we found a solution that allowed us to reuse the entire mill setup, including the building and crane”, Josef Rohlf, who has led the project on the technical site, reports. This was only possible because the building was originally constructed using prefabricated components, especially Hebel wall panels, which can easily be dismantled and reassembled without causing any damage or generating waste. And thus, the sustainable idea became a reality thanks to intelligent Xella products and international cooperation. 

A mill on the move! 

However, there were other obstacles to overcome before the mill could be moved.  Obtaining the transport permit for the 45-ton mill (8.8 m long and 4.1 m in diameter) proved particularly challenging for the team because new French regulations extended the permit period from three to seven months. In February 2025, however, the time finally came, and the mill was shipped. The installation on the new foundation followed in May, and the entire building and crane were also erected. The available space in Mios posed a particular challenge: only 900 mm separated the existing building from the filter unit and the existing sand feeding unit. However, the Xella team found an effective solution that made it possible to install both the building and the mill. The existing sand feeding unit had to shut down for three weeks for the new start-up. During this time, the unit was completely rebuilt.
After the building was completed and the sand transport and power supply were converted, production began in August 2025.   

A strong team is behind every success

Teamwork of our Local and Engineering experts allow to implement even complex projects sustainably and successfully, as demonstrated by this project. "Special thanks go to the entire Mios team for their helpfulness and friendliness," Josef Rohlf summarizes. And he adds: "I am proud to work for a company that pursues sustainability in its materials and products as well as a holistic approach." 

 

> Read more about our plant in Mios: Site Portrait: Mios

> Read more about our circularity approach:

  • This is how circular economy works: Reusing Hebel wall panels in the Netherlands
  • Sustainable building and circularity: pilot project in Southern Germany

Share this news

E-mail page Print page

More sustainability news

  • How Xella strengthens mental health at work

    How can companies create conditions for people to stay healthy, motivated, and productive in the long run? At Xella, mental health is part of the answer - and a cornerstone of our sustainability strat

    View more
  • If we take the circular economy seriously, we need common standards

    How a six-month test program for recycled autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) materials could lay the foundation for industry-wide standards. A conversation with Dr. Oliver Kreft, responsible for circul

    View more
  • When the heat stays – what buildings must deliver now

    Find out how smart material choices improve summer comfort and reduce energy needs, today and in a warmer future.

    View more

Links

 

Links

  • Company
  • Digitalization
  • Innovation
  • People
  • References
  • Sustainability
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube

Introduction

2025 Xella International. All rights reserved.

Links

  • General Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Imprint
  • Terms of Use