LafargeHolcim first in US to convert to low-carbon Portland Limestone Cement
As part of a global effort to adopt more sustainable products and lower the industry’s carbon footprint, LafargeHolcim in the 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.
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 limestone. OneCem has been rigorously tested and proven to serve as an effective alternative for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and is a durable, high-performance concrete that lowers the carbon footprint, 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, US Cement, LafargeHolcim. “OneCem is one way we’re supporting customers who are using every tool at their disposal. 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.
“LafargeHolcim 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’s also crucial that we take immediate steps to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Toufic Tabbara, CEO, US Cement, LafargeHolcim. “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.
