Hagerstown Plant Accelerates Net Zero Journey Through Investments in Alternative Thermal Energy Capacity

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May 17, 2024, 10:00 ET

$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.

SOURCE Holcim US