Turkish cement maker Medcem to start up Florida clinker grinding mill in Sep

Turkish cement producer Medcem plans to begin operations at its brownfield clinker grinding facility in western Florida by September, Enver Celikbas, the company's business development and investments director said, banking on rising US cement demand driven by population growth and housing construction in the region.

The company signed a long-term lease agreement for the grinding mills and the surrounding area at the port in May 2024 and began construction in February 2025 after securing the necessary permits. Cold commissioning and testing are scheduled for August, with commercial production starting in September, Celikbas told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, April 10.

The facility has two mills and will initially operate one of them through the end of this year. At full capacity, with both lines running, the facility can process 40 mt per hour on each line, translating into an annual output of 450,000-500,000 mt of ASTM Type I/II and Type IL cement, Celikbas said.

To support its US expansion, Medcem plans a new investment in Turkey to increase its clinker capacity by 500,000-600,000 mt annually by year-end.

"The US is our biggest export market, and US cement imports have increased from 15 mt to 22 mt over the last seven years, and we expect this trend to continue," Celikbas said. "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."

Market expansion

Medcem will source clinker from Turkey for the Florida operation, marking the company's first US production footprint. The western Florida location targets a growing regional market, with population growth driving housing demand. The facility has been idle since 2008, making it a brownfield project that enabled a relatively quick start to construction. "Revamping an old plant comes with risks and difficulties, but the technical team, led by Isa Eltez, has done a great job on multiple fronts," Celikbas said.

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 utilizing the additional leased area, he said.

Platts assessed cement clinker FOB Turkey at $46.50/mt on April 9.