Buzzi Unicem USA is pleased to announce that the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) has awarded Buzzi Unicem USA two certifications under their wildlife improvement programs. The WHC Wildlife at Work certification, recognizing programs that create, conserve, and restore wildlife habitats on corporate lands, was awarded to the Cape Girardeau, MO plant for their efforts in assisting the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in restoring the population of alligator gar fish in eastern Missouri. The WHC Corporate Lands for Learning certification, recognizing programs that promote innovative teaching and learning techniques and provide opportunities for community members to get involved in conservation efforts, was awarded to the Stockertown, PA plant for their creation of an open air laboratory designed to enhance the education of local high school students.

The Cape Girardeau plant partnered with the MDC to restore a lost piece of Missouri natural history through reestablishment of the alligator gar species and creation of a self-sustaining gar population. The focus of the reestablishment efforts is Marquette North Lake, a reclaimed, 150-acre, former clay pit at the plant that was being used only for recreational fishing by employees. The alligator gar research completed on this property has provided valuable insight into the movement patterns and dietary preferences that have proven useful when forming alligator gar management plans and goals. Through the research and management efforts, the otherwise dormant clay pit has been transformed into a thriving habitat for the gar and many other species of fish and birds.

The Stockertown plant took a nearly three-mile, virtually dormant stretch of land along the Bushkill Creek that had been impacted by local industry for nearly a century, and transformed it into an area flourishing with new native flora and fauna for use as an open air laboratory by local students. Natural habitats have been restored on this property and learning stations have been erected. Safe public access to the Creek and newly created trails have also been established for use by community members and local schools. Plant employees teach students about the relationships and interactions between a heavy manufacturing facility and the surrounding environment, and the open air laboratory allows students to relate classroom learning to external applications through planned experiments.

Buzzi Unicem USA recently announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have awarded four of its U.S. cement manufacturing plants the ENERGY STAR® label for their superior energy performance. Buzzi’s plants in Chattanooga, Tenn., Festus, Mo., Maryneal, Texas, and Pryor, Okla., received the honor.

This marks the fifth consecutive year the Chattanooga, Festus, and Maryneal plants have received certification, while it is the third consecutive year that the Pryor plant received the award.

In order to qualify for ENERGY STAR® recognition, cement plants must score at least 75 on the Energy Performance Indicator (EPI), used by the EPA to measure energy efficiency. In addition, the plant must have a three-year history of environmental compliance.

The ENERGY STAR® program is a joint initiative by the EPA and DOE that focuses on strategic energy management and emphasizes the importance of demonstrating environmental leadership for future generations.

Buzzi Unicem USA’s Chattanooga, TN. cement plant recently celebrated one year without a lost time injury. On October 14, 2013 all plant employees were recognized for achieving this goal with a barbeque luncheon, shirts and prizes honoring their hard work and dedication to safety.

President and CEO David Nepereny congratulated the plant employees on reaching this milestone reiterating, “Workplace safety is the number one priority for Buzzi Unicem USA.” George Garcia, Senior Vice President of Operations, Clint Irvin, Corporate Safety and Health Director, and David Puzan, Plant Manager, also spoke at the luncheon, praising and thanking the plant workers for their diligent efforts and philosophy of safety first.

Dennis Cloud, the plant’s Safety and Health Manager, served as Master of Ceremony for the event. Four long time employees, Jerry Sharp, Fred Whisnant, Randall McDonough and Jesse Vaughn, each with over forty years of service, were recognized for their impeccable safety records of never experiencing a reportable injury during their careers.

George Garcia is promoted to Senior Vice President Operations reporting to Dave Nepereny, President & CEO of Buzzi Unicem USA effective July 1, 2013.

Garcia has served as the Chattanooga Plant Manager since 2001, a position he assumed after leading construction of the “new plant” at Chattanooga, Tennessee the previous three years. He began his career with Buzzi Unicem at the sister company, Alamo Cement, and served as the Director of Engineering at Alamo before arriving in Chattanooga. Garcia holds an MBA from the University of Texas-San Antonio and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. He will be based at the Buzzi Unicem USA Corporate Office in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.