Roanoke Cement 'Plants A Star' for Fifth Straight Energy Award

TROUTVILLE, Va., March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Roanoke Cement Company, a subsidiary of Titan America LLC, has been awarded the "Energy Star" five years in a row from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Troutville plant, the only cement plant in Virginia, was the first cement plant to be certified with an Energy Star® in 2011. A cement plant may earn the Energy Star if the plant achieves energy performance within the top 25 percent nationally using the Energy Star® performance scale.

"Titan America continues to lead by example," says Elizabeth Dutrow, Director of Industrial Sector Partnerships with Energy Star. "Achieving a national level energy certification for its Virginia cement plant demonstrates leadership.  But Roanoke Cement hasn't stopped there.  The company is reaching beyond what is expected to help others to achieve similar heights.  Roanoke Cement's outreach program for customers, "Plant A Star™", is a gold standard for cement manufacturers to emulate in helping their customers, the ready mix producers, to improve energy performance."

Plant A Star™, encouraged by EPA and actualized by Roanoke Cement, provides customers with technical assistance and energy management training.  "Our Plant Energy Team recognized that businesses are struggling with increased burdens and need to address their energy consumption to remain competitive," says Kevin Baird, Plant Manager. The Plant Energy Team conducts presentations and energy audits, demonstrating the benefits of energy management, tracking and benchmarking, while showcasing the available resources provided by the Energy Star® Program to its customers. Roanoke Cement saw the benefits of a systems assessment and reassessment of its energy use and proactive maintenance, repair and replacement has produced demonstrable efficiencies.

To date, Titan America/Roanoke Cement has invested approximately 3000 hours helping

15 business partners fast track their energy savings initiatives in 2010. Conservative estimates indicate that these businesses could see a 15% reduction of electrical energy consumption in their first year, applying the skills developed through this program. Based on these estimates, the Plant a Star™ Program helped save enough electrical energy to power 150 households last year.

"Titan is committed to use energy in the most efficient and cost-effective manner," says Aris Papadopoulos, Chief Executive Officer of Titan America. "We strive to improve environmental performance to lead energy management within the cement industry."

Long-term goals have been established, calling for a 90,000 MWh (33%) reduction in energy utilization – the equivalent of the production of 700,000 tons of cement (or enough energy saved to power 8,000 homes for one year)across the Titan America organization by 2015.

Roanoke Cement is a subsidiary of Titan America LLC, the premier heavy building materials producer in the eastern United States. Titan America is headquartered in Norfolk, VA and their products include cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete and fly ash beneficiation. Its parent company, Titan Cement Company, S.A., headquartered in Athens, Greece, is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, a group of companies committed to sustainable and socially responsible business practices.

CONTACT:  Mary Beth Kramer, Kramer Consulting, +1-215-431-3946 (Photo Available)

SOURCE Roanoke Cement Company