Holcim’s Ste Genevieve plant inaugurated

Holcim (US) executives were joined by officials from the Obama Administration, Members of Congress, local and state elected officials, community leaders and others who have been instrumental in making the Ste Genevieve project a reality. Ten years after Holcim (US) first announced plans for the project, the Ste. Genevieve plant is now producing cement that is being used throughout the Midwest. This plant, one of the largest cement manufacturing facilities in the world, will also be among the most environmentally efficient and safest.

“As we continue to rebuild our nation’s transportation infrastructure through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this new and more efficient plant will play a key role in helping meet the demand for high-quality, American-made cement,” said US Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, who spoke during the ceremony. “The Ste. Genevieve plant will create jobs and play an important role in our economic recovery.”

The plant represents a more than US$1 billion, long-term commitment to Holcim (US) customers and the community. It is the largest single-kiln line, cement-producing facility in the world and has the capacity to produce 4 million tpa of high-quality cement.

The plant has 250 employees and began operations in 2009. According to a study conducted by the Center for Economic and Business Research at Southeast Missouri State University, the economic impact of the Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve Plant will be substantial in Missouri. The plant has already been a boost for the state’s economy by creating and supporting thousands of jobs and leading to millions of dollars in annual economic activity.

Holcim (US) President and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Terver said that the project had already created hundreds of manufacturing and construction jobs and, combined with the company’s strong distribution network, uniquely positions Holcim (US) to provide consistently reliable, domestically-produced cement throughout the central part of the United States for generations to come. Terver also said “This state- of-the-art project shows how environmental protection and economic growth can coincide. We believe the Ste Genevieve plant has established an important precedent for future manufacturing projects”.

The Ste. Genevieve plant is the latest example of the company’s commitment to sustainable, long-term projects. In addition to extensive emissions controls, the majority of the property around the plant has been set aside and will be preserved and protected in its natural state. Holcim (US) is working with an expert conservation partner to manage the habitat surrounding the plant. The company has already created or restored more than 60 acres of new wetlands to offset any impacts from construction. The plant will ship up to 75% of its product to terminals by barge, among the most environmentally efficient means of transportation. Many of the raw materials (coal, gypsum, flyash) are shipped by river. The company also has in place an ongoing reclamation plan that will restore the land that has been mined, ensuring that no more than 200 acres of land is actively mined at any one time.

Delegates attending the 53^rd IEEE-IAS/PCA Conference in St Louis next year will have the opportunity to tour the Ste Genevieve plant, as well as Buzzi Unicem’s Festus plant.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/08062010/holcim%E2%80%99s_ste_genevieve_plant_inaugurated/