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Economy

Continental Cement Celebrates New Storage Dome

the new storage dome at Continental Cement in Buffalo, Iowa
Continental Cement
the new storage dome at Continental Cement in Buffalo, Iowa

Monday afternoon, company officials, customers, and employees celebrated at Continental Cement in Buffalo. The company has just completed construction of a new storage facility, costing 30 million dollars.

Continental Cement in Buffalo, Iowa before the new storage dome was built
Continental Cement
Continental Cement in Buffalo, Iowa before the new storage dome was built

Continental President David Loomes says until now cement had to be stored on barges in the river.

"This dome takes what was previously winter storage on barges, puts it into the dome, it's a more efficient operation, it saves us money of course for not having to pay for the winter storage barges, and it's safer. It really benefits not only Continental Cement but also the customers and our supply chain."

The new dome can hold up to 125,000 tons of cement and is the largest cement storage dome in North America.

Loomes says in a separate project at the Buffalo plant, the company will spend 32 million dollars to reduce its use of fossil fuels. About half of its current fossil fuel consumption will be replaced.

"There's a lot of material, non hazardous waste that goes in. It comes from a variety of sources which would alternatively be landfilled or incinerated."

Possible fuel includes fiberglass windmill blades that are past their usefull life.

The Buffalo plant has 120 employees.

Economy
A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.