On June 4, 2016, my wife and I attended the 100th anniversary of the Buzzi Unicem Cement plant in Stockertown. Most of my readers recall when the plant was named Hercules Cement.

Today Buzzi Unicem is one of the five remaining plants in the Lehigh Valley. Over time, 30 cement companies that operated 60 plants have called the Valley home.

The plant, as the other plants, uses the stone from the Jacksonburg vein of cement rock that graces Northampton and Lehigh counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey. There is abundant raw material here for another century.

The Stockertown plant has a long history, the first plant being named Atlantic Portland Cement in 1906. In 1916, it was purchased by a group of investors and renamed Hercules. The plant started with 12 kilns. Just like the Atlas Portland Cement Company, they selected the name Hercules from Greek mythology as a symbol of power and strength.

The original land can be traced back to early Moravian history in the area. At one time, the company owned property in Stockertown Borough and in Palmer and Upper Nazareth townships.

With time, the plant has made many improvements to stay competitive. In the 1920s, the plant power supply was converted from steam to electric - quite an improvement!

The Great Depression was especially difficult for our cement companies, as they operated only a few months a year.

The Federal AID Highway Act of 1944 authorized construction of a system of interstate highways, which encouraged highway travel. The legislation was a boom to Hercules and our local plants.

Hercules continually improved its plant in each decade up to the present day, with new kilns, a pre-heater and the most modern environmental technology.

Always community sensitive, in 1970, the Hercules Rod & Gun Club was organized to provide outdoor opportunities for employees and their families.

As a steward of the environment, the company has preserved 20 acres as a native meadow of trees and shrubs. Each year, many school groups tour the grounds and are involved in numerous wildlife experiences. They have received awards from the Wildlife Habitat Council and USDA Forest Service.

The company has provided quality cement for many projects, including Pennsylvania Turnpike, Verrazano Bridge, Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Newark Bay, Coca-Cola Park, Sands Casino parking garage, Routes 33 and 78 and Lafayette College’s Fisher Field Stadium.

The company has more than 130 employees and is proud of its safety and environmental efforts. The friendly plant manager is Mr. Julio Folhadella.

I have visited the friendly plant for many years and have worked closely with Mr. Keith Williams, whose family has deep roots in the industry.

The Atlas Cement Museum honors Buzzi Unicem and its employees with a permanent display. Come and visit us.