Terra, a low-carbon building materials company based in the US, is building its first full-scale manufacturing facility in Cleburne, Texas, as it prepares to bring its low-carbon cement materials into commercial production.
The plant is scheduled to begin operations in mid-2027 and will produce 240,000 tonnes of Terra’s supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) each year. Its initial output will serve the Dallas-Fort Worth market.
The Cleburne facility is the first full-scale plant in Terra’s planned expansion of production capacity across North America. The company is also advancing six additional facilities towards shovel-ready status.
Texas plant to produce 240,000t of SCMs
Terra’s first product, OPUS SCM, is commercially ready and can replace up to 50% of traditional Portland cement in concrete, the company says.
The material is made using silicate rock from existing permitted mines. Terra’s process is designed to work with current cement production systems through a drop-in approach, without requiring major changes to existing infrastructure.
Terra says third parties have validated its materials, which perform as well as or better than traditional cementitious products.
The company is also developing OPUS ZERO, intended as a full replacement for Portland cement. It remains in full concrete trials, with testing focused on durability and performance across a range of real-world applications.
Six additional facilities move towards construction
Terra is advancing six more facilities across North America towards shovel-ready status. The company says the sites are intended to make its low-carbon cement solutions available in major markets.
The production model uses silicate rock from already approved and operating mines. Terra says its technology can work across a diverse range of silicate rock mineralogy and is not dependent on a particular feedstock.
The process is designed to integrate with existing cement production systems rather than requiring a separate manufacturing infrastructure.
Terra expands research and development in Colorado
Terra also plans a new 32,000ft2 headquarters in Golden, Colorado. The facility will include materials testing laboratories and expanded pilot-scale R&D facilities.
The site will support further development of Terra’s products and the integration of emerging low-carbon energy sources into production.
The company has also added two senior technical and engineering appointments. Dwayne Holland has joined as Senior Vice President of Engineering after 18 years at KHD Humboldt Wedag, where he most recently led its North American business. Stephen Herald has joined as Technical Director following more than two decades at Holcim.
Terra says its organisation has grown by approximately 25% over the past 18 months.
$52.6 million grant supports Salt Lake facility
Terra has retained a $52.6m grant from the US Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation. The funding supports the planned deployment of a facility serving the greater Salt Lake market.
The Cleburne plant is scheduled to enter production in mid-2027, with OPUS SCM already ready for commercial deployment. OPUS ZERO remains in concrete trials as Terra develops a second product intended to replace Portland cement completely.
Images: Courtesy of Terra
