US: Lehigh Hanson plans to spend US$600m on modernising and upgrading its Mitchell cement plant in Indiana. The project will increase production capacity and reducing energy usage and emissions per ton of cement produced. The project is the largest expansion and modernisation that the subsidiary of Germany’s HeidelbergCement has undertaken in North America.

Lehigh Hanson is working with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to obtain the required air permits and anticipates the permitting process to be completed in the summer of 2019. The company is also working with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation regarding available business incentives. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2020 and completion of the new plant is anticipated by the end of 2022. Once finished the upgrades will create around 50 new jobs at the unit.

The cement producer has also worked with local and state officials to develop increased infrastructure surrounding the plant, which will support the expanded operation. This includes a road connecting the plant to a local highway, alleviating truck congestion from the centre of town. Overall logistics will also change to accommodate additional rail activity to handle increased cement shipments from the plant.