Summit Materials expands portland limestone usage

By |  August 22, 2022

Logo: Summit Materials

Summit Materials’ Hannibal plant, operated by Continental Cement Co., a subsidiary of Summit, converted 100 percent of its annual production to portland limestone cement (PLC)

The Hannibal plant is Summit’s second conversion to PLC in 2022. Continental Cement’s Davenport plant began 100 percent PLC production in April. The two plants produced a combined 2.1 million tons of cement in 2021.

Continental Cement’s conversion to PLC marks an important step toward reaching Summit’s overall 2030 and 2050 decarbonization targets.

“A lower carbon future requires the cooperation of the entire cement-concrete-construction value chain, and we are delighted with the quick adoption of PLC by our customers and specifiers who supported this pivotal change at our plants this year,” says David Loomes, president of Continental Cement and senior vice president of Summit Materials. “In addition to shrinking our carbon footprint through the use of alternative fuels in the manufacturing process, the conversion to PLC reduces concrete embodied carbon by approximately 10 while delivering resilient and durable infrastructure to our communities in all Continental Cement markets where Hannibal and Davenport cement is supplied.”

Continental Cement derives an average of about 42 percent of Summit’s total fuel usage from alternative fuels, based on 2021 usage, across its two plants located in Hannibal, Missouri, and Davenport, Iowa, according to Summit.

Summit’s Hannibal cement plant processes both liquid and solid hazardous waste as a fuel source, while its Davenport cement plant uses non-hazardous alternative fuels from surrounding industrial facilities.

“Summit’s vision is to become the most socially responsible, integrated construction materials solutions provider,” says Anne Noonan, CEO of Summit Materials. “The PLC conversion at our Hannibal and Davenport plants reflects Summit’s target to reduce carbon emissions by 25 percent in 2030 and our goal to reach net zero by 2050, and furthers the larger industry effort to address climate change and build a more sustainable future through the Portland Cement Association’s Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality.”

Jack Kopanski

About the Author:

Jack Kopanski is the Managing Editor of Pit & Quarry and Editor-in-Chief of Portable Plants. Kopanski can be reached at 216-706-3756 or jkopanski@northcoastmedia.net.

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