W

hen Holcim (US) Inc. in 1999 announced its plans to build a new cement plant along the Mississippi River in Ste. Genevieve County in 2004, its projected cost was $600 million. At that time, the company said that "the new plant could conceivably go on stream by end- 2003." Well, the project is now a go. But the investment is now $900 million, reflecting both an extended permitting process and the very materials price increases its product will eventually ease for construction customers when the plant comes online in 2009.
   That's when the plant's approximately 200 workers will begin producing 4 million metric tons of cement a year. That's quite a jolt to a domestic production level that now stands at just over 15 million tons of cement and other products, using 14 plants and seven distribution terminals. At the same time, funds will start accumulating in the coffers of county schools and other entities, to the tune of $38 million over the first 11 years of the plant's operation.
   "We have always known that this plant represents the best opportunity to make high quality cement, right here in the Midwest, in an environmentally sound way," said Patrick Dolberg, Holcim (US) Inc. president and CEO, at the plant's groundbreaking in late March 2006.
   While the permitting process was arduous, its conclusion stood in stark contrast to the failure of a new plant project from Holcim's Canadian sister company, St. Lawrence Cement, along New York's Hudson River last year. That project, announced in 1998, was derailed by, among other things, New York Secretary of State Randy Daniels' conclusion that the $353- million plant would not be consistent with state waterfront revitalization and coastal management programs. The company took write- downs as a result, and had to reorganize its import and domestic production levels in order to meet demand.
   Conversely, as the Swiss parent company's most recent financial statement said, the Missouri site "will further strengthen the cost leadership along the entire Mississippi- Missouri river system up to the Great Lakes as from 2009." The Missouri Department of Natural Resources issued its permit in June 2004.
   Among the environmentally friendly measures that are setting a new standard for Holcim (sponsor of a new global sustainable design competition) at the new Missouri plant will be one of the lowest emission limits for any cement plant in the U.S., active quarrying of no more than 200 acres (81 hectares) at any one time and the set- aside of an approximately 2,200- acre (890- hectare) buffer area, representing more than 55 percent of the property's total acreage, to be kept in its natural condition throughout the life of the project. In fact, Holcim will begin to reclaim land just eight years after mining operations commence at the overall 3,900- acre (1,578- hectare) site. The quarry is permitted to extend to about a third of that swath over 100 years. In addition, as part of a comprehensive wetland mitigation program, Holcim will offset impacts to 14 acres (5.7 hectares) of previously disturbed wetlands by restoring, recreating, and/or enhancing large contiguous wetland areas along Isle du Bois Creek and the Mississippi River.
   "Holcim and the community have been very patient over the years," said Ste. Genevieve Presiding Commissioner Albert Fults. "But, time has shown us that Holcim will be a good neighbor and this project will benefit the people of this area for many years to come."
   "Once again, I want to thank the people of this area and many elected officials for all of the support they have shown for this project over the years," said Jeff Ouhl, plant manager for the Ste. Genevieve Project, at the groundbreaking. "Time after time they demonstrated why this is the right location for this project."