Current practices in the operation of boilers in the cement product industry in Kuwait have been studied and evaluated under actual working conditions. Experimental results are used to demonstrate deficiencies in the present operational, procedures. A modified operational strategy has been developed and implemented. The results indicate up to a 25% reduction in diesel consumption and substantial savings in electricity. Our case study may serve as a guide for developing energy-efficient operational strategies for boilers used in other industries. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.