History, Competition, and Sustainability or past, present and future. This project touches on all three. The construction of a new cement mixing plant in Saint-Basile-De-Portneuf in the Canadian province of Quebec used the powerful benefits of hot-dip galvanized steel in a winning way.

The source material quarry for this new cement plant was founded by Jesuit priests in 1670 who needed stone and cement for the many churches then sprouting across Nouvelle France over 350 years ago. This new cement blending plant now draws its raw material directly from that nearby still operational quarry. This new facility also has its eye on the future with Synergia, a 50,000 ton a year waste product energy sourcing system unique in North America. It provides the energy required for cement production by transforming everything from used shingles and tires to scrap pressure treated wood. Converting these from being potential toxic waste into energy producing fuel.

While steel and cement are often seen as fiercely competing materials for construction in this instance they worked together beautifully in pursuit of the most cost effective and durable solution to the needs of the facility. Concrete was chosen for its solidity and durability but why also use steel for a cement plant? The answer rests in hot-dip galvanizing, it builds on the strengths of steel: low cost as well as rapid design, fabrication and erection. It also adds decades of durability and impact resilience during erection and operations. The amazing HDG value equation is that all these added qualities come at little to no extra cost over traditional painting. Compelling? Apparently so, enough that a new cement plant was built primarily from hot-dip galvanized steel!