CEMEX increasing production of lower carbon Portland limestone cement in Colorado

CEMEX USA has been ramping up production of PLC across the U.S. as part of a suite of solutions to reduce the carbon footprint throughout its operations and products. PLC can offer CO2 emission reductions of up to 10% compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). In PLC, finely-ground limestone replaces a portion of the clinker, cutting clinker factor by about 10% and reducing CO2 intensity when compared to OPC. Extensive testing and customer feedback have shown PLC offers the same or better performance in durability and resilience when compared to OPC.

“CEMEX is committed to being a leader in climate action, and we have aggressive emission reduction goals designed to positively affect our industry and our world,” said CEMEX USA president Jaime Muguiro. “The increased production of Portland limestone cement is just one element of our plan to reduce our carbon footprint. By making the lower carbon solution more available for our customers, they can help provide an even broader and effective impact.”

Though PLC has been produced at Lyons cement plant for more than 15 years, CEMEX is ramping up production to better align with the company’s ambitious carbon reduction goals and meet increased demand for lower carbon materials. In addition to Lyons, CEMEX USA has also increased PLC production at its Brooksville, Fla., and Demopolis, Ala., cement plants and plans to step up production or start manufacturing the eco-friendly product at other U.S. cement plants in the coming months.

Last year, CEMEX implemented its Future in Action program to reduce CO2 throughout its value chain and announced updated climate goals. The aggressive targets include reducing the company’s CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 baseline levels and working to deliver net-zero concrete globally by 2050. CEMEX joined carbon neutrality roadmaps from the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and Portland Cement Association (PCA) as part of its commitment to climate action. CEMEX is also a founding member of the First Movers Coalition, an initiative that unites more than two dozen companies worldwide to spur innovation and the use of decarbonisation technologies.