Huron Portland Cement (Detroit, Michigan)

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Portland Huron Cement was established in 1907 by John B Ford and associates to construct a cement plant at the company's limestone quarry in Alpena, Michigan, recently purchased by Ford's Michigan Alkali company. Ford needed limestone for his Wyandotte soda ash operation, but found that the process utilized to extract the limestone resulted in large amounts of waste called fines. The cement company was formed to convert the fines into a saleable product. Construction of the cement plant commenced in 1907 and in the same year, the company purchased the lands and coal bins of the Pittman and Dean Coal Company situate on the Detroit River.

Utilizing a fleet of its own ships, Huron Portland was able to distribute cement from Alpena throughout the Great Lakes. Detroit was the first of a number of terminals reaching from Buffalo to Chicago. In 1910 a five story clinker and grinder mill was constructed at the Atwater Street property. In 1959, the property was expanded with the purchase from the City of Detroit of the 5 acre former Detroit United Railway lands located immediately to the west. Huron Portland Cement was acquired by National Gypsum in 1957, which was purchased in turn by LaFarge in 1985.

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