Top LafargeHolcim mills sustain portland limestone cement momentum

Sources: LafargeHolcim, Chicago; CP staff

The Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve plant in Missouri and Lafarge Alpena plant in Michigan have transitioned to production of OneCem portland limestone cement (PLC), lowering by 10 percent the carbon intensity of their ordinary Type I/II powder. A high-performance blended cement milled from conventional clinker and up to 10 percent finely ground, premium limestone, OneCem has been rigorously tested and proven to serve as an effective binder in concrete for buildings and infrastructure. The Ste. Gen and Alpena mill conversions follow similar action last year at the Holcim (US) plant in Midlothian, Texas.

“As demands on the industry to reduce its carbon footprint intensify, we find ourselves with an unparalleled opportunity to build a more sustainable future,” says LafargeHolcim US Cement Senior Vice President of Sales Patrick Cleary. “The materials used in building need to have the lowest embodied carbon possible without sacrificing performance—and this is where our low-carbon OneCem can make an immediate impact in helping customers achieve their sustainable construction goals.”

The largest cement-producing facility in North America and one of the world’s most technologically advanced and environmentally efficient operations of its kind, Holcim Ste. Gen runs the largest single-kiln line in the Americas, with 4.5 million metric ton/year capacity to serve markets throughout the Mississippi River Basin. One of North America’s longest-operating mills, the Lafarge Alpena plant has the capacity to produce 2.4 metric million tons of cement annually for Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and Ontario markets.

“LafargeHolcim is fully engaged in making carbon reduction an urgent priority and 100 percent dedicated to leading the market transformation needed for climate stability,” affirms Vice President, Manufacturing North Michael Nixon. “To achieve net-zero commitments by midcentury, we must start now in accelerating the adoption of low-carbon building solutions.”

By converting their operations to the low-carbon OneCem product, he adds, the Michigan and Missouri plants will collectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 300,000 metric tons each year. The producer shipped over 2 million tons of OneCem in 2021, resulting in a CO₂ reduction of 100,000 metric tons.