LafargeHolcim embracing portland limestone cement further

LafargeHolcim in the U.S. says that its Ste. Genevieve and Alpena cement plants, located in Bloomsdale, Missouri, and Alpena, Michigan, respectively, transitioned to OneCem portland limestone cement (PLC) production.

The transition to OneCem PLC – a lower carbon dioxide-intensive product – follows the transition of the company’s cement plant in Midlothian, Texas, last year.

“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 Patrick Cleary, senior vice president of sales at LafargeHolcim U.S. cement. “The materials used in building need to have the lowest embodied carbon possible without sacrificing performance. This is where our low-carbon OneCem can make an immediate impact in helping customers achieve their sustainable construction goals.”

According to LafargeHolcim in the U.S., OneCem was tested and proven as an effective alternative for ordinary portland cement. It is manufactured with 10 percent finely ground limestone, resulting in a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of portland cement.

The performance of OneCem allows it to be used in virtually any cement-based application, from residential construction to large-scale infrastructure projects.

LafargeHolcim’s Ste. Genevieve plant operates with a capacity to produce 4.5 million metric tons of cement each year for markets throughout the Mississippi River Basin, according to the company. The company’s Alpena plant has the capacity to produce 2.4 million metric tons of cement annually for markets throughout the Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and Ontario, Canada.

“LafargeHolcim is fully engaged in making carbon reduction an urgent priority and 100 percent dedicated to leading the market transformation needed for climate stability,” says Michael Nixon, vice president of manufacturing in the North for LafargeHolcim U.S. cement. “To achieve net-zero commitments by midcentury, we must start now in accelerating the adoption of low-carbon building solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.”

By converting their operations to OneCem, the company says both LafargeHolcim plants will collectively reduce carbon dioxide emission by about 300,000 metric tons each year.

Last year, LafargeHolcim sold more than 2 million tons of OneCem, resulting in a reduction of 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.