- $11 million investment to
increase plant's alternative thermal energy use to 45
percent
- New state-of-the art co-processing system to produce 58,000
tons per year of engineered fuel
CHICAGO, May 17, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The Holcim Hagerstown plant in Maryland is accelerating its net-zero journey
by expanding its alternative thermal energy capacity to 45%,
representing 58,000 tons per year of engineered fuel. The
$11 million project, celebrated today
at a ribbon cutting, will improve the plant's sustainability
profile by replacing traditional fuels with alternative thermal
energy, engineered from materials at their end of life, that would
otherwise be landfilled, such as non-recyclable paper, plastics and
fibers.
"Expanding our alternative thermal energy use to 45% provides
multiple environmental and economic benefits, from lowering the net
carbon intensity of our cement to reducing our consumption of
traditional fuels," said Michael
Nixon, senior vice president of Manufacturing North for
Chicago-based Holcim US.
"Importantly, it enables us to play a role in the circular economy,
offering a highly safe and ecological solution for unused
materials."
The alternative thermal energy will be sourced from
non-recyclable commercial and industrial materials, such as
packaging materials. The bulk of these materials will be
pre-processed by Geocycle, a wholly owned subsidiary of Holcim US,
at its new facility in Cumberland,
Maryland. The facility is permitted to process up to 75,000
tons per year of materials and will serve the needs of regional
industrial manufacturers.
"The Maryland House of Delegates is proud to support Holcim's
efforts to develop low-carbon construction materials," said
Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A.
Jones. "Whether through the Buy Clean Maryland Act or this
year's legislation adding cement production to the Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Reduction Act, Holcim has continued to demonstrate their
commitment to voluntarily reducing the industry's greenhouse gas
emissions."
Other sustainability initiatives at the Hagerstown plant include a solar field that
generates up to 18,441,610 kilowatt hours of renewable power,
supplying more than 28 percent of the plant's electricity
energy.
Holcim Hagerstown's cement is used in construction projects
across the region, including Amazon's headquarters in Virginia, Interstate 66 in Virginia, Arlington Memorial Bridge, homes,
businesses, highways and local infrastructure.
About Holcim US
In the
United States, Holcim US includes nearly 350 sites in 43
states and employs 7,000 people. Our customers rely on us to help
them design and build better communities with innovative solutions
that deliver structural integrity and eco-efficiency. To learn
more, visit holcim.us.
Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building
solutions with net sales of CHF 27.0
billion in 2023. Driven by our purpose to build progress for
people and the planet, our 63,448 employees are on a mission to
decarbonize building, while improving living standards for all. We
empower our customers across all regions to build better with less,
with a broad range of low-carbon and circular solutions, from
ECOPact and ECOPlanet to our circular technology platform
ECOCycle®. Through innovative systems, from Elevate roofing to PRB
insulation, Holcim makes buildings more sustainable in use, driving
energy efficiency and green retrofitting. With sustainability at
the core of our strategy, we are on the way to becoming a net-zero
company with 1.5°C targets validated by SBTi.
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SOURCE Holcim US