Stephan Schmidt opens new conveyor and storage facility at its Meudt site

Around 90 guests were present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including employees, local politicians and representatives of authorities and associations.

After approximately a year and a half of construction work, Stephan Schmidt Group officially opened the new conveyor and storage facility at its Meudt site on 17 May 2024. Around 90 guests were present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including employees, suppliers, dignitaries and representatives of local authorities. They were welcomed by Stephan Schmidt, the founder’s grandson and now at the head of the family business.

Around 450,000 tonnes of clay are extracted annually from the Meudt pit, which is currently one of the largest open-cast mines in the Westerwald at a depth of 90 metres. A 900 m long conveyor belt system was installed here to replace the diesel-powered lorries previously used for transport. From here, the raw material is transported to the newly built warehouse with ten boxes and a total capacity of 10,000 tonnes. On the roof of the warehouse is a photovoltaic system with around 1,000 solar modules and an output of 350 kWp, which is used to operate various items of equipment including the conveyor belt. The investment therefore makes a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions.

“With this new installation, which cost around €6 million, we are continuing to invest in the future of the site to ensure reliable supplies to our customers in Germany and abroad. It represents a significant investment not only for our core business but also for the region’s economy as a whole. It confirms our commitment to continue our mining activities here for decades to come,” said Stephan Schmidt before officially starting up the new plant in the company of Technical Manager Ingmar Lepiors and Site Manager Michael Kilb.

Founded in 1947, Stephan Schmidt Group operates 20 quarrying sites in Germany and produces a total of 1.5 million tonnes of clay per year, which is exported to 40 countries worldwide. The group supplies all ceramic sectors under the brand name ACM - Advanced Clay Minerals.