As part of a global effort to adopt more sustainable products and lower the industry’s carbon footprint, LafargeHolcim in the US announced that its Midlothian, Texas, facility will be the first cement plant in the country to fully convert to portland limestone cement (PLC).
The decision to convert Midlothian to OneCem, part of the Envirocore blended cement portfolio, represents what LafargeHolcim notes is a “monumental step in the industry’s efforts to provide low-carbon materials and solutions.” OneCem is manufactured with up to 15% per ton of finely ground high quality limestone, and provides the same level of performance as ordinary portland cement in terms of concrete workability, set time, durability and strength development.
The Midlothian plant is capable of producing 2 million tons of cement per year. By incorporating the low-carbon product into its operations, the plant will reduce CO2 by 70 million pounds each year – the equivalent of powering 5,800 homes for one year.
“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, LafargeHolcim US Cement. “OneCem is one way we’re supporting customers who are using every tool at their disposal to lower their CO2 footprint.”
Toufic Tabbara, CEO of LafargeHolcim US Cement, added: “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 is also crucial that we take immediate steps to begin reducing our carbon footprint. 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 is currently available in the Western and Southern regions of the United States. LafargeHolcim has plans to rapidly expand production.
