Continental Cement has been doing business in Buffalo for eight years but now is making investments totaling more than $60 million.
Company officials this week cut the ribbon on a $30 million cement storage dome that will hold materials during the winter. It is the largest of its kind in North America.
The company is investing another $32 million into improvements on its recycling and sustainability efforts, said Continental CEO David Loomes.
Its goal is two-fold: Reduce its carbon footprint and make a name for itself as a champion of sustainability.
Summit Materials umbrella
Continental Cement started in Hannibal, Missouri, in 1903, then known as Atlas Portland Cement. Throughout the years, its cement was used in a number of high-profile projects, including the Empire State Building and the Panama Canal, according to its website.
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In 1986, the company began using supplemental waste to power its kilns. In 2005, this resulted in Green America Recycling LLC. In 2010, the company was purchased by Summit Materials, a Denver-based building material company.
Five years later, Continental Cement bought its Davenport plant in Buffalo.Â
During Monday's ribbon-cutting, Summit Materials CEO Anne Noonan said both companies are committed to leading the industry in sustainability efforts. In 2022, Continental switched entirely to Portland-Limestone Cement (PLC).Â
The product measures and performs the same as traditional cement, but because of the higher limestone content, it results in a 10% reduction in its carbon footprint, according to the Portland Cement Association.
Since the switch, the company has reduced its carbon footprint to an equivalent of taking 29,000 cars off the road, Noonan said.Â
Investing in the future
When Continental moved to Buffalo in 2015, the company brought along Green America Recycling, LLC, the sustainability arm of the company. It operates at both the Hannibal and Davenport locations.
To make their cement, they use fossil-fuel-fed kilns, including coal. But Continental now is taking a more environmentally friendly approach.
"They take in all types of recycling materials, anything we can burn, really, to reduce our carbon emissions," said plant manager Brett Imsland.
Everything from windmill blades to truck tires to plastic and oil waste can be used to replace the coal. The company measures its success through a total substitute rate (TSR). Currently, the TSR is about 30%, which means the company is taking about 30% of the coal out of the equation and replacing it with alternate fuels, he said.
According to a 2020 report by researchers at MIT, concrete is the most popular material in the world. With cement being the primary binder of concrete, they are the main ingredients contributing to about eight percent of global emissions.Â
In comparison, aviation accounted for more than 2% of global emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. With its renewed investments, Continental is hoping to increase its TSR to 55%, effectively decreasing its emissions by an additional 25% by next March.
"Hopefully, we can exceed that," Imsland said.
The $32 million will go toward modifications for the plant and expanding a portion of the building to accommodate a new shredder and more storage for recyclable materials. Imsland said the company is hoping to triple its use of recycled material.
From quarry to dome
In Buffalo, Continental operates on about 2,200 acres of property — nearly 3.5 square miles. The plant sits at 301 Front St. Across the street is its quarry, where workers mine four key components that make up cement.
Imsland uses the acronym LISA to list them: limestone, iron, silica and aluminum.
Once the materials are blasted out of the quarry, they are put on a conveyor belt that carries them across the street and back to the plant. From there, the components go through a rigorous process that includes a raw mill, then a calcinator, which preheats the material. The materials then move to the kiln, where they mix to form cement.
After, they are moved to a clinker cooler before landing at the finishing mill. From there, the cement is grinded into a powder and ready to be moved to storage. Locally, Hahn Ready Mix and Manatts are customers. Otherwise, Imsland said, the cement is used all across the United States.
"Both the Hannibal and Davenport plants are strategically placed on the Mississippi," he said.
Cement made in Buffalo typically goes north via barge. Cement from Hannibal typically goes south. The company also ships by rail and truck.
Cement vs. concrete
While most people use the two interchangeably, cement and concrete are two different materials. Cement is an ingredient of concrete.
By volume, cement makes up 10-15% of concrete mixes. Through hydration, the cement and water harden, then bind the aggregates into a rock-like material, according to the Portland Cement Association. This continues for years, meaning the concrete will become stronger the older it gets.
As Imsland described, cement is comprised of four main materials, with limestone and silica making up about 85% of the ingredients. Concrete is made up of a mixture of aggregates — sand, gravel, or crushed stone, and paste: water and Portland cement.
Put simply, cement is a binding agent that can be used to make concrete. Portland is not a brand name, but a generic term for the type of cement used in nearly all forms of concrete. For example, stainless is a type of steal, sterling a type of silver and Portland a type of cement.
The Buffalo plant employs 119 people with a payroll of $15 million. According to its website, the company has a goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.