Largest cement plant in U.S. opens in Mo.

BLOOMSDALE, Mo. (AP) -- A cement plant described as the largest in the nation has opened in eastern Missouri, about 50 miles south of St. Louis in Ste. Genevieve County. The $1 billion plant was built by Holcim US, part of Switzerland-based Holcim Ltd. Production at the plant began Monday. Demand for cement is down because of the economic downturn. Holcim recently closed plants in Dundee, Mich., and Clarksville, Mo., and stopped production for now in Mason City, Iowa, and Artesia, Miss. But the company says it's looking forward to better times.