Cargill to invest $13.8 million to expand Cleveland mine

Cargill Deicing Technology will invest $13.8 million to increase the capacity of its rock salt mine in Cleveland, giving the business additional flexibility to supply customers during severe winters.

"This investment reflects Cargill's commitment to Cleveland and Ohio," said Dale Fehrenbach, president of Cargill Deicing Technology. "It also reflects the company's appreciation for the work that the Cleveland mine team has demonstrated over the years."

Cargill Deicing Technology is a producer and distributor of snow and ice fighting products, such as rock salt, enhanced deicers, pavement overlays and winter maintenance equipment. "Deicing products are essential for making winter driving safe," Fehrenbach said.

Bob Supko, mine manager, said: "The expansion will allow us to respond even better than before to severe winter weather events, getting products to customers when they are most needed. In addition to improving driver safety conditions, these products can help minimize interruptions to commerce by keeping roads open to transportation."

Major customers of Cargill Deicing Technology are cities, counties and states in the North American Snow Belt – from eastern Canada and New England west to Lake Superior.

Supko said no other North American salt mine sits in the midst of a huge market for road salt while also having three modes of transportation – boat, rail and truck – for reaching customers in different geographies.

The expansion project includes improvements to all of the Cleveland mine's processes – mining, milling and shipping – and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. For competitive reasons, Cargill did not disclose the size of the current capacity or how much would be added through the expansion.

The expansion will add about 20 jobs, bringing the total at the mine in Cleveland and headquarters in North Olmsted to about 270. In addition to employees tied directly to Cargill, the mine also supports the jobs of others involved in technical contract work and in the transportation of products from the Cleveland site.

The mine in Cleveland is located near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River on a peninsula known as Whiskey Island. The International Salt Company established the Cleveland mine in 1961, and Cargill Deicing Technology has operated the mine since 1997.

The mine goes 1,800 feet below the surface and extends three miles out under Lake Erie. The rock salt formation that is mined at Cleveland is part of the Great Eastern Salt Basin, one of the world's largest salt beds. Deposited more than 300 million years ago by the evaporation of ancient seas, the Great Eastern Salt Basin lies beneath portions of Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia.

Cargill's two other rock salt mines are in Lansing, N.Y., and Avery Island, La.

Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 138,000 people in 67 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business.