Lehigh Hanson Speed plant earmarked to become distribution centre

The Lehigh Hanson Speed cement plant in Indiana is expected to cease production in about four years and become a distribution centre, following the completion of the modernisation at the Mitchell works.

The step will lead to the loss of some 100 jobs at the works, although Lehigh Hanson expects to relocate around half of the jobs to the new works. Jobs at Speed would likely fall under plant maintenance and operations, purchasing, quarry equipment operators, electricians, welders, millwrights and other skilled trades.

Currently the Speed works produces around 1Mta of cement and Mitchell around 0.7Mta. The new facility at Mitchell will have a production capacity of around 2.8Mta.

"It will give us three times the capacity of the current Mitchell plant," Lehigh Hanson Director of Corporate Communications, Jeff Sieg, said. "And we'll be able to produce it in a much more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way.
The Speed site currently employs around 170 people, Mitchell 120 and Logansport 90.