US: Türkiye-based producer Medcem plans to begin operations at its brownfield clinker grinding facility in western Florida by September 2026, following construction that began in February 2025, according to the company’s business development and investments director Enver Çelikbaş. The facility has two mills and will initially operate one line, with full capacity reaching 450,000 - 500,000t/yr when both lines are operational. Commissioning and testing are scheduled for August 2026 ahead of commercial production, according to Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. Medcem will supply clinker from Türkiye to support the project, which follows a long-term lease agreement signed in May 2024. The site has been idle since 2008.
The company is planning to increase clinker capacity in Türkiye by 500,000-600,000t/yr and is evaluating further investment opportunities in the US. Enver Çelikbaş said “The US is our biggest export market, and US cement imports have increased from 15Mt to 22Mt over the last seven years, and we expect this trend to continue. That is why we want more investment in the US, and we are already engaged in discussions - solely and together with some potential partners - for a few more locations and also actively searching for both greenfield and brownfield investments there."
Çelikbaş said that beyond standard cement production, Medcem plans to use the mill's flexibility to grind ground granulated blast furnace slag in the near future, though no supplementary cementitious materials will be used from day one. Production volumes are expected to ramp up gradually through 2027, when both grinding lines become fully operational, with further increases targeted for 2028. Medcem is also considering further investment in Manatee, Florida by utilising the additional leased area, he said.