Member Spotlight: Amrize
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Amrize: A Legacy of Building Alberta
For more than half a century, Amrize, formerly known as Lafarge Canada, has been a cornerstone of Alberta’s growth story. From cement plants, quarries, ready-mix, to asphalt, pipe and precast, infrastructure maintenance, and construction operations across the province, the company has supplied the materials that shaped Alberta’s cities, highways, and industries. Today, that proud legacy continues under a new name: Amrize.
The company’s transformation into Amrize marks a new era for North American construction. But in Alberta, it also serves as a reminder of its long-standing role in building communities, fueling economic growth, and pioneering innovation. As the largest player in Canada’s building materials industry, with the biggest production capacity and distribution network, Amrize continues to be the partner of choice for professional builders.
Foundations in Alberta’s Growth
Lafarge’s story in Alberta stretches back to the province’s rapid development in the post-war years. As cities like Calgary and Edmonton expanded and the resource economy surged, the demand for building materials soared. The company established a strong footprint in Alberta, investing in cement plants, quarries, ready-mix, asphalt, pipe and precast facilities that would serve the province for decades to come.
From the beginning, Amrize was more than a materials supplier—it was a partner in growth. It provided the high-quality, branded solutions needed to build schools, hospitals, bridges, highways, and neighborhoods. Whether it was the expansion of Calgary’s downtown, the construction of industrial infrastructure, or the development of transportation networks, Amrize materials were there—quietly shaping the foundation of Alberta’s modern economy.
Iconic Projects and Regional Impact
Over the years, Amrize has been behind some of Alberta’s most significant construction projects. Its cement, aggregates, concrete, and asphalt have supported infrastructure that millions of Albertans rely on every day—major highways that connect the province, bridges that cross its rivers, and industrial facilities that power its resource economy.
Among its current landmark contributions is the YYC Calgary International Airport Runway Expansion, which will add a 4,270-metre runway—one of the longest in Canada—to serve more than 13 million passengers annually. The project highlights Amrize’s ability to deliver advanced branded solutions at scale, enabling world-class transportation infrastructure. Perhaps most notably, the Exshaw Cement Plant, located just outside Calgary in the Bow Valley, became one of Lafarge’s flagship operations in North America. With continuous upgrades and modernizations, Exshaw grew into one of the largest and most technologically advanced cement plants in Canada. Its strategic location and capacity helped meet Alberta’s growing construction demands while also supplying neighboring provinces.
Employment and Community Roots
Amrize’s legacy in Alberta is also measured in people. For decades, the company has been a major local employer, providing jobs in cement production, quarrying, ready-mix operations, logistics, and technical services. Generations of Albertans have built careers with the company, passing down knowledge and expertise in skilled trades, engineering, and plant operations.
Beyond jobs, Amrize forged strong ties with local communities—supporting educational partnerships with institutions such as the University of Calgary and SAIT, helping advance research in building materials and construction technologies. It has also invested in community infrastructure, environmental stewardship programs, and rehabilitation of quarry lands—earning recognition for its responsible land use.
Alberta as a Hub for Innovation
Innovation has always been part of Amrize’s Alberta story. The province often served as a testing ground for new technologies and materials. Early efforts to incorporate supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) into concrete were piloted here, as were advances in low-carbon and high-performance concrete.
That drive for innovation continues today with projects such as the SAIT Taylor Family Campus Centre in Calgary—a 269,098-square-foot facility that will feature a welcome centre, health clinics, conference space, an arena, a triple gymnasium, a running track, and a fitness centre—Amrize is supplying concrete solutions including ECOPact®, its high-performance, innovative concrete. The project demonstrates how advanced branded materials are shaping the next generation of institutional and educational facilities in Alberta.
Amrize is also supplying concrete, aggregates, and precast for the Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project, the world’s first net-zero carbon integrated ethylene and derivatives site. As one of Alberta’s most high-profile industrial projects, Path2Zero reflects both the province’s and Amrize’s commitment to advancing global leadership in high-performance, next-generation infrastructure.
The company’s quarries and cement operations also became models for progressive land rehabilitation, balancing industrial activity with environmental stewardship. This focus on innovation and responsibility positioned Amrize as a leader not only in Alberta, but across North America.
A New Era with Amrize
Building North America as the partner of choice for professional builders with advanced branded solutions from foundation to rooftop, Amrize is an independent publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. With over 1,000 sites, the largest production capacity and distribution network in Canada, and 19,000 teammates, Amrize delivers advanced solutions to every construction market—from infrastructure and commercial projects to residential, repair, and refurbishment.
For Alberta, this means continuity. The same cement plants, quarries, and ready-mix operations that have supplied the province for generations will continue to do so—now with an even greater emphasis on high-performance branded solutions and customer-focused innovation.
A Lasting Legacy
From its earliest days to its future as Amrize, the company’s presence in Alberta has been constant. It has built the roads, bridges, and buildings that define the province, supported local jobs and communities, and pioneered new technologies that have advanced the entire construction sector.
Today, with global innovation and North American focus, Amrize is ready to help Alberta and Canada rise to meet the challenges of tomorrow. As the partner of choice for professional builders, Amrize is building North America—and it is ready to build your ambition. To learn more about Amrize, visit: www.amrize.com.
Thank you to Amrize for preparing this article for use by ACR.
If you would like to have your organization, project or product featured in an ACR blog and Resources Letter, let us know! Contact communications@acr-alberta.com.
