Lehigh Hanson set to close Glens Falls plant

Lehigh Hanson's Glens Falls cement plant, based in New York State, USA, is set to close next year with operations shifting to the newly-modernised Mitchell plant in Indiana, according to local news reports.

“The decision to halt production at a plant is always difficult,” Alex Car, president of Lehigh Hanson’s Northeast Region, said in a statement published by the Glens Falls Chronicle. “We are thankful for the dedication and efforts of our Glens Falls workforce over the years and we will work to minimise the impacts to our employees and the community as much as possible."

The company cited changes to the competitive landscape within the context of a global cement industry as one reason for the closure, which will be done in phases.

“With the company’s new state-of-the-art and energy-efficient cement plant in Mitchell, Ind, coming online next year, additional cement capacity in the company’s network will be re-directed to the New England area. Lehigh Hanson has also recently invested in upgrades to its Cementon, New York, cement distribution terminal in Greene County,” the statement noted.

The Glens Falls operation is relatively small with a clinker and cement capacity of 0.59Mta and 0.5Mta, respectively.