September 24, 2018, Glendora, CA – CalPortland® is proud to announce that the company’s Rillito, AZ and Oro Grande, CA cement plants have earned U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® certifications for 2018. ENERGY STAR plant certifications signify that these two cement plants perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. They also meet strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

This is the seventh consecutive year (2012 – 2018) that the Rillito, AZ plant and the second (2017 – 2018) consecutive year that the Oro Grande, CA plant have earned ENERGY STAR certification, reflecting a legacy of energy efficiency and continued energy savings.

“CalPortland is pleased to accept EPA’s ENERGY STAR certifications for Rillito and Oro Grande in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Allen Hamblen, President/CEO CalPortland. “Through the hard work of our employee teams at both Rillito and Oro Grande and our corporate energy efficiency culture, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship while also reducing our energy costs.”

These distinct plant recognitions are distinguishable from the 2018 EPA ENERGY STAR® PARTNER OF THE YEAR (POY) for Sustained Excellence award received by the company earlier in 2018. The company has received the POY award for fourteen consecutive years (2005-2018) which is a feat that is unmatched by any other industrial company in the United States.

Earning ENERGY STAR plant certification highlights CalPortland’s status of operating within the highest level of performance of the top 25 percent of cement plants in the nation regarding energy efficiency. The company has improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its plants.

“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s industrial facilities is critical to protecting our environment, “said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the plant floor to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their facilities more efficient and earning EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.”

CalPortland is receiving ENERGY STAR certifications in recognition for its commitment to high-level leadership in energy management throughout the company as well as demonstrating efficiency at its facilities. Key 2018 accomplishments include:

  • Rillito plant continues to improve the performance of the new $9 million kiln clinker cooler.
  • Focused attention to maintenance and reliability have allowed high levels of operational uptime which minimize energy consumption.
  • Finish mill product collection automation system was modified to allow for improved collection and conveyance performance and minimize unscheduled shutdowns.
  • Oro Grande plant initiated an Energy Management Team at the plant and with the Process Team identified multiple process improvement projects that improved plant efficiency.
  • The Oro Grande plant made multiple improvements to the compressed air system, including rerouting compressed air piping, installing larger air receivers, and replacing air compressors with newer and higher efficiency compressors.
  • The primary and secondary crushing lines have been modified with new processing equipment to reduce electrical consumption and improve the homogeneous mixture of the output crushed limestone.
  • The plant is currently in construction of a new $60 Million high efficiency finish mill to further improve the performance of the plant.

CalPortland has established a corporate energy efficiency culture and continues to lead the cement industry in environmental stewardship through investment in renewable energy, fuels and efficient industrial production technology.

About CalPortland

CalPortland Company is a major producer of cement, ready mixed concrete, aggregates, concrete products and asphalt in the western United States and Canada. Founded in 1891 with the principle of providing unsurpassed quality, CalPortland remains a leader in the industry through its commitment to quality, safety, customer service, technical excellence and environmental leadership. The company maintains its headquarters in Glendora, California and operates in the Western U.S. and two Canadian Provinces. For more information about CalPortland Company, visit www.calportland.com .

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Over the past twenty years, American families and businesses have saved a total of nearly $450 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 3.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions with help from ENERGY STAR.