Mason City Cement receives US senator Joni Ernst

On the visit of US Senator Joni Ernst to Heidelberg Materials' Mason City Cement plant, David Perkins, vice president of government affairs and communications North America for Heidelberg Materials, said the company is committed to generating 50 per cent of its revenue from sustainable products by 2030. Mr Perkins and other company officials added that they also plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 per cent by 2030. 

"The fact that they do use a lot of recycled materials, a lot of refuse, that goes into the energy process and how they're reducing their carbon emissions, it's very, very impressive," Mr Ernst said. "I did not know that about this particular plant."

Mason City Cement, formerly known as Lehigh Hanson, hosted an informational meeting and plant tour for Mr Ernst. Mr Ernst said reductions in carbon emissions can be driven by the free market as well as governmental pressure. "Obviously, the federal government does force a lot of that discussion and the actions by industry," he said. "But we also see consumers that are driving that process. Consumers want to know industries are going green."