SKOKIE, Ill. – The Portland Cement Association (PCA) and Cement Americas magazine acknowledged the CEMEX USA cement plant in Louisville, Ky., as part of the 2012 Cement Industry Energy & Environmental Awards honoring sustainable manufacturing practices.
The plant, known as Kosmos Cement Co., was a runner-up in the Innovation category that recognizes cement industry leaders in the development of innovation technologies and techniques relevant to environmental protection or energy efficiency. It also was a finalist in the Outreach category. Outreach honors facilities that strive to enhance community, employee and government relations through innovative communications programs.
CEMEX’s Louisville plant understands the value of transparency and openness and consistently strives to reach out to employees and the community.
In 2012, CEMEX Louisville worked closely with the Kentucky Division of Waste Management and the Louisville Metro Solid Waste District to provide a free tire disposal outlet for local citizens.. The plant’s use of tire-derived fuel (TDF) was featured in a November front-page article in the Courier-Journal that focused on the environmental benefits of TDF usage in a cement kiln. In 2012, the plant also installed a programmable logic controller (PLC) that allows for continual monitoring of its bag houses, which allows for the control room to troubleshoot cleaning and avoid hours of production losses.
“The innovative thinking regarding its manufacturing processes illustrates ways CEMEX and other cement companies put the industry at the forefront of manufacturing technology expertise,” said Greg Scott, PCA president and CEO. “The cement industry is committed to finding new ways to make their plants safe workplaces and safe community members.”
The Energy & Environmental Awards honor individual cement facilities that exemplify the spirit of continuous environmental improvement and support this spirit with action. These plants go beyond government regulations and local laws to ensure that their processes contribute to making their communities better places to live and work. Five categories are recognized: Outreach, Environmental Performance, Land Stewardship, Innovation and Energy Efficiency. Additionally, PCA presents a special honor to a plant demonstrating excellence in multiple categories.
The award program was created in 2000 by the Portland Cement Association as part of its environment and energy strategic plan for the U.S. cement industry. The awards honor activities conducted during the previous calendar year, and the program is open to any cement manufacturing plant in North America. Judges for the 2013 awards Program included representatives from U.S. EPA-ENERGY STAR, Wildlife Habitat Council, U.S. Geological Survey, World Wildlife Fund, and Cement Americas.
About PCA
Based in Washington, D.C., with offices in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs. More information on PCA programs is available at www.cement.org.
About CEMEX
CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries throughout the world. CEMEX’s U.S. network includes 13 cement plants, 47 active cement distribution terminals, approximately 100 aggregate quarries and more than 420 ready-mix concrete plants. For more information, visit www.cemexusa.com.