Holcim US Names First Plant in the Nation to Fully Convert to Low-Carbon Portland Limestone Cement

Chicago, IL – September 14, 2021 –  As part of a global effort to adopt more sustainable products and lower the industry’s carbon footprint, Holcim US has announced that its plant facility in Midlothian, Texas, will be the first cement plant in the country to fully convert to Portland limestone cement (PLC). The decision is a monumental step in the industry’s efforts to provide low-carbon materials and solutions.

Texas-based Midlothian plant offers OneCem® to help customers meet sustainable construction goals and lower carbon emissions.

OneCem®, a product under Envirocore™ Cements – the company’s portfolio of blended hydraulic cements and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) – is a blended cement manufactured with up to fifteen percent per ton of finely ground high quality limestone. OneCem is an engineered product that has been rigorously tested and proven to serve as an effective alternative for ordinary Portland cement (OPC).  OneCem is a durable, high-performance cement that lowers the carbon footprint of concrete, thereby decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Holcim Midlothian plant, which will fully convert to OneCem, is capable of producing two million tons of cement per year. By incorporating the low-carbon product into its operations, the Texas-based plant will reduce CO2 by 70 million pounds each year – the equivalent of powering 5,800 homes for one year. The plant has been a vital member of the community since 1987, contributing to nationally recognized projects across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, including the Perot Museum, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and DFW Airport.

“This is an important, but not unique, step for us. We were the first to produce OneCem, a PLC product, in one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, and fuel our industry’s step towards a zero carbon future,” said Patrick Cleary, senior vice president of sales, Holcim US Cement. “OneCem is one way we’re supporting customers who are using every tool at their disposal to lower their CO2 footprint. In Texas and beyond, ready-mix producers are taking enormous strides and embracing more sustainable solutions with obvious environmental and performance benefits.”      

The introduction of this product will reduce the industry’s carbon footprint caused by the energy intensiveness and generation of CO2 inherent in cement manufacturing. 

“Holcim has gone on record with our net-zero commitment, and while we’re actively investing in technology and innovations to help us get there, it is also crucial that we take immediate steps to begin reducing our carbon footprint,” said Toufic Tabbara, chief executive officer, Holcim US Cement. “Transitioning the operational focus at our Holcim Midlothian plant to OneCem reflects our confidence in this product and in the growing customer demand for solutions that help them achieve their own sustainability goals.”

OneCem provides the same level of performance as OPC in terms of concrete workability, set time, durability and strength development. The product can be incorporated into a broad spectrum of applications that will support foundational structures connecting every city and community in the United States. OneCem is available in the Western and Southern regions of the United States, and the company plans to rapidly expand production.
 

About Holcim

Holcim is the leading global building materials and solutions company. It has four businesses: cement, aggregates and ready-mix concrete as well as advanced solutions and products that include precast concrete, asphalt and mortar. With its broad portfolio Holcim solves the toughest challenges facing masons, builders, architects and engineers, bringing industry-leading innovations and services to customers challenged by urbanization, population growth and the demand for sustainability. Headquartered in Switzerland and with leading positions in all regions, Holcim employs approximately 80,000 employees in around 80 countries and has a portfolio that is equally balanced between developing and mature markets.

In the United States, Holcim companies include close to 350 sites in 43 states and employ 7,000 people. Our customers rely on us to help them design and build better communities with innovative solutions that deliver structural integrity and eco-efficiency.
 

Contact
 

Jocelyn Gerst
Holcim US
Jocelyn.Gerst@Holcim.com