BROWNSVILLE, Texas —  Texan Cement plans to expand its storage capability of 14,000 short tons of cement to 40,000 to fit growing volume demand in the Rio Grande Valley.

The expansion is phase two of a plan to transform Texan Cement’s entire operation from a big bag operation- transportation of cement in bags that resemble grocery store bags- to a bulk and cement terminal. The capital investment for the project is $10 million of which the company has spent $1.5 million.

“The Rio Grande Valley has grown and the demand for cement, specifically our cement and our price point that we have, is growing so much that we’re constantly having to extend our hours so that we can meet demand,” said J. C. Echeverria, CFO and Operations Officer of American Cement Advisors, Texan Cement’s parent company.

The growing diversity of industries doing business in the Rio Grande Valley and at the Port of Brownsville encouraged the company to plan the $10 million investment and increased the urgency for extended capabilities.

The company receives shipments of cement in big bags that transport 1.5 metric tons of cement. The bags are broken at the warehouse, and the cement is siphoned into silos for transportation. As part of phase two, the entire warehouse would be sealed to contain all cement in bulk. The company is still considering options for the transportation of cement from ships to the warehouse.

The company’s goal is to complete the expansion project by December 2019. Texan Cement’s first shipment of cement arrived June 2017. For the past two years the company improved its operations by leaps and bounds and continues to work to give back to the port and the community.

The expansion is phase two of a plan to transform Texan Cement’s entire operation from a big bag operation to a bulk and cement terminal.