business backgrounder | industry
Cementing the Future
Ash Grove Cement, Washington’s only cement manufacturer,
survives as a landmark on the Seattle waterfront despite an
ever-increasing web of costly regulations.
Brian Mittge
Most of Ash Grove Cement’s raw materials arrive by water from Canada, but it’s the region’s
on-shore travelers and high-rise residents who benefit from this vital American-made product.
Ash Grove Cement might be
best known for its huge American flag easily visible from
Interstate 5 in south Seattle.
The company takes great
pride in its work: It’s the only
cement manufacturer left in
Washington state.
As an industry, cement manufacturing faces a wide array of
federal, state and local regulations. At the same time, it has
to meet or beat the price of
imported foreign cement produced without similar rules.
From proposed carbon taxes
to heavy attention on pollution
cleanup in the industrial waterway along its shore, Ash Grove
faces the kind of regulations
that foreign competitors, such
as China and Korea, don’t have.
“In addition to a variety of
Carey Austell, plant manager for Ash Grove Cement.
costly regulations, our biggest
challenge is having to compete against foreign
cement manufacturers that don’t have to comply with the same federal and state rules. This
creates a competitive disadvantage that makes
it difficult to be a low-cost producer,” said plant
manager Carey Austell.
“We are,” said Curtis Lesslie, vice president
of environmental affairs for Ash Grove, “a
highly regulated industry.”
“In addition to a variety of costly regulations, our biggest
challenge is having to compete against foreign cement
manufacturers that don’t have to comply with the same federal
and state rules. This creates a competitive disadvantage that
makes it difficult to be a low-cost producer.”
50 association of washington business
— Carey Austell, Seattle plant manager