Heidelberg Materials completes conversion of Clark County cement plant
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Texas-based Heidelberg Materials North America on Monday announced it has completed the $7 million conversion of its cement plant in the Clark County community of Speed.
The plant is now being used as a slag-grinding facility to produce high-quality slag cement, which is more sustainable than the portland cement that it previously produced.
The conversion was made following the opening of Heidelberg’s $600 million facility in Mitchell that opened last year. In August, the company said it had contracted with the Levy Group of Companies, based in Michigan, to secure a consistent supply of slag granules for the plant’s new operations.
“Slag cement enhances the traditional concrete benefits of strength and durability while offering reductions in waste, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions,” Heidelberg Director of Corporate Communications Jeff Sieg told IIB in August. “It is used in concrete for virtually any construction application, either in conjunction with traditional portland cement, part of blended cement or as a separate component. It typically replaces part of the portland cement in concrete mixes.”
Additionally, the Speed location now serves as a distribution hub for the cement produced at the Mitchell plant and other specialty products.
The Speed plant was built in 1870 and sits on about 3,500 acres of land just north of Sellersburg.
Heidelberg said slag cement from the Speed plant was used in the massive concrete pour earlier this month for the 37-story Signia by Hilton hotel in downtown Indianapolis.
“We are excited to now have the ability to supply our customers with slag cement from our existing facility in Speed, Indiana,” Toby Knott, vice president of cement sales for Heidelberg Materials North America’s Midwest Region, said in a news release. “With the growing acceptance of slag cement usage in publicly and privately funded construction projects, this is a great opportunity to enhance and strengthen our sustainable product offerings in this dynamic market.”
Sieg said the Speed plant is operating with 27 employees, with the potential to add more over the next two years depending on market conditions.