Kilkenny's production process
From 3 million cubic metres of blue limestone reserves at Old Leighlin, Kellymount and Holdensrath, Kilkenny Limestone annually quarries c. 75.000m³ for processing into limestone slab and its full suite of finished stone products.
R&D
Advanced geological research, coupled with analysis of core samples extracted from future reserves, provides essential information on colour, texture and fracture zones, enabling us to develop a precise planning schedule months in advance.
The latest limestone-processing equipment is present at Kilkenny Limestone, from fast texturing options to a semi-automated tile cutting line.
Our advanced IT-system allows for full traceability throughout the quarry and factory production process, which means each customer-order can be traced back to a certain layer in each quarry.
Equipment
Kilkenny Limestone’s production process uses diamond-wire saws and diamond-tipped chainsaws to carve through the massive beds of rock. Cooling water, recycled through settlement ponds on the quarry floors, prevents overheating of the saws and suppresses dust production during the process.
Transportation
Huge limestone blocks are then conveyed from quarry to production plant using modern haulers. Mobile cranes lift the blocks from the stock yards and position them onto frame saws, monoblade saws, diamond wire saws or circular saws. Kilkenny Limestone transports the Limestone-material between its 3 quarries; Holdensrath, Kellymount and Old Leighlin. Regular inter-quarry transport allows Kilkenny Limestone to fully utilize its capacity in the production factories.
Production
During the primary and secondary cutting stages, diamond-cutting technology guarantees precision-cut stone and minimal wastage. A combination of bridgesaws and tile-cutting lines assures Kilkenny Limestone recovers as much limestone as possible throughout the entire operation. Various tile-processing machines are also present to further characterize the limestone
Kilkenny Limestone offers a solution for individual tiles for either an antique or modern limestone look. No matter which style you choose, you can be guaranteed each tile is unique. Expert sawing stonemasons arrive to cut, shape and finish the stone to customer specifications, engaging a variety of mechanical and manual techniques to achieve individual effects.
Packing & Delivery
The finished stone products are finally ready for packaging and shipment to our customers worldwide. Kilkenny Limestone uses a customer friendly way of packaging, each pallet or crate comes covered in a pallet hood, preventing your product from weathering before arrival. Therefore your product arrives protected from all weather conditions. Every pallet or crate is strapped using the latest technology. Worldwide shipping is available to all of our customers.
Quality assured
Kilkenny Limestone maintains a quality approach to their work. The company subjects all processes to rigourous and regular quality control checks, from inspection of raw materials, through monitoring of the entire manufacturing process to final quality approval and guarantee of end products.
Kilkenny Limestone’s system of CE marking highlights the performance standards expected from our products. The products are produced from ATGcertified materials. The ISO: 9001 quality system implemented by Kilkenny Limestone is independently audited and verified. The low-waste production methods used complement the naturally low embedded carbon that makes Irish Blue Limestone an exceptionally environmentally friendly material.
Learn more about Kilkenny Limestone
Kilkenny Limestone is a Brachot Family Member with 3 quarries and production sites in Ireland. Discover more about Ireland’s leading limestone quarrying & processing operation.