The Calce Val Nure company began building the monumental kiln complex of Ponte dell'Olio (Piacenza) in 1890 to produce quicklime for use in construction. The complex has been restored by the Municipality.
The first circular kiln with 4 fireplaces dates to this period, it was built by Emilio Rossi whose son, Giovanni, would later establish "Industria Cementi Giovanni Rossi". Emilio Rossi decided to expand the plant, carrying out regular expansions up to the 1920s when all 5 kilns were completed. At the time, the complex also housed a bread oven available to company employees.
The kilns produced quicklime in a continuous cycle by firing calcium carbonate brought in by decauville (tipping wagons) via rail and cableway from the quarries of Cà Dario and Teglio. The production process required continuous loading from above, so the wagon with the quarry material would be lifted by freight elevator to the upper floor where the drums were filled with successive layers of calcium carbonate and fine combustible coal. While the fire was fed continuously to cook the limestone, workers unloaded the cooked material in the basement, extracting quicklime which was immediately stored in the adjacent warehouses.
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