Since its founding in 1912 in St. Marys, Ontario, by John Lind and Alfred Rogers, St Marys Cement has been a major producer of cementitious materials in the Great Lakes Region. With six plants strategically located to serve Canadian and US customers and a production capacity over five million metric tonnes, St Marys Cement participated in landmark projects such as the CN Tower, Roy Thompson Hall, Maple Leaf Gardens and the Darlington Nuclear Station, as well as countless other engineering, civic and residential projects that significantly contributed to the growth and prosperity of the region.
Superior Materials joint venture becomes a fully-owned VCNA business.
Integrated with Ciment McInnis.
Acquired Valley View Industries.
Acquired United Materials.
Divested Florida businesses.
Began to shift to a more unified, global model.
Acquired Prairie Materials.
Acquired Prestige.
Agreement with SAC Joint Venture.
In 2001, the Votorantim Cimentos Group purchased St Marys Cement.
The Cement Plant continued to make donations to various community facilities including the St Marys Memorial Hospital, the Lind Sportsplex, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Pyramid Center.
In 1999, the St Marys Cement Company was sold to Blue Circle America Inc. After the management of the Lind Family, the transition was an adjustment to replace local connections with new, multi-national global realities.
However, the plant was still located in St Marys. During this time, Blue Circle continued the company tradition of supporting community endeavors, including a contribution towards a new pool at the Quarry –the Lind Complex.
The final agreement to transfer the cement plant property to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame was also announced during this time.
Modernizing the plant was an ongoing effort with various improvements made on site.
In the 1970s, a new dry-process cement plant was built in the base of the original quarry.
In the years following World War II, the cement company expanded well beyond the boundaries of St Marys. Ready-mix, building materials, transportation, precast and aggregate companies were established in other locations and became part of the corporation, bringing more jobs and economic growth.
The St Marys Cement Bowmanville plant opened in 1969 with improved access to Great Lakes Shipping.
Business slowed during World War I, but when it was over, the company erected a new office building of reinforced concrete on the plant grounds. This was done as a declaration of confidence in the value of cement and its place in post-war growth and development in the area.
John Grieve Lind
The person most closely associated locally with the new St. Marys Cement Company and the main spokesman during negotiations with the town was John Grieve Lind. While the other directors were based in Toronto, he and his family moved to St. Marys and became part of the community.
Lind began by investing in a cement plant in Owen Sound. As this company’s fortunes were in decline, he decided to take an active role in its management. He purchased and closed several smaller, unprofitable cement companies in the area and then decided to find to a new location that would work well for the production of Portland cement.
He and his partners chose St. Marys, a place that had abundant limestone, clay and water, was on two national railway lines and would have access to hydro-electric power from Niagara Falls. Construction of an entirely new plant began in 1911.
Today, in the dynamic international business environment, St Marys Cement is part of Votorantim Cimentos. One of the largest cement producers in the world, Votorantim Cimentos operates 22 cement plants in the Americas and with a combined capacity of 40.5 million metric tonnes per annum.
Both Votorantim Cimentos and St Marys Cement symbolize a long heritage of excellence and commitment. St Marys Cement manufactures a variety of cement for different purposes – normal, high-early strength, low heat hydration, and sulphate-resisting as well as other supplementary cementitious products – in bulk and as bagged product.
Products are rigorously tested to meet the high standards demanded by today’s dynamic construction needs. In 1912, cement was carted from the St Marys Plant through horse-drawn carriages. Today, distribution is accomplished through a sophisticated network of terminals throughout the Great Lakes Region, serviced by barge, rail and truck.
St Marys Cement supplies cement to customers across the Great Lakes Region, and is also a major supplier of concrete and aggregates through its Canada Building Materials (CBM) operating unit.
United Materials
Superior Materials
Prairie Materials
Canada Building Materials
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