Press Release

CHARAH ACQUIRES SCB INTERNATIONAL’S ASH BENEFICIATION AND MINERAL GRINDING TECHNOLOGIES

LOUISVILLE, KY (May 1, 2018) – Charah®, LLC, a leading provider of ash management, fly ash sales and marketing, and utility support services for the coal-fired power generation industry, today announced that it has acquired SCB International, Inc. (SCB) to jointly develop and deploy innovative technologies, including fly ash beneficiation and mineral grinding technologies for:

  • Beneficiation of fly ash for sale to concrete producers;
  • Processing kiln dust to remove mercury for emissions regulations compliance; and
  • Grinding granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and pozzolan for sale to concrete producers.

This acquisition will also allow Charah to more than double the volume of materials available to their customers.

As part of this agreement, Charah has acquired SCB’s proprietary fly ash beneficiation technology which will allow Charah to improve the quality of fly ash produced by electric utilities and to increase Charah’s supply of fly ash to concrete producers nationwide. This proven thermal technology allows for beneficiation of both wet or dry fly ash generated by or stored at electric power plants at a cost profile that is roughly one-third of the cost of competitive thermal technologies. The technology, which reduces loss on ignition (LOI), ammonia, activated carbon, moisture and chlorides, can also be deployed rapidly. Its unique small footprint, self-contained environmental controls and scalability make this technology the most cost-effective option available in the industry. The processed ash delivers the consistency and quality needed for cement replacement in concrete products. Furthermore, the technology allows for the processing of kiln dust to remove mercury for emissions regulations compliance.

Charah also will deploy innovative grinding technologies for GBFS and pozzolan and will market these supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to the manufacturers of concrete products. Lower initial capital and operating costs, along with a smaller process footprint, allow for a more rapid deployment of the grinding technologies in multiple markets.

Both the ash beneficiation and the mineral grinding technologies will support Charah’s expanding MultiSource™ fly ash network, a unique distribution system of multiple sourcing locations across the country. The MultiSource fly ash network will help ensure that Charah can provide a steady and reliable supply of SCMs for ready mix concrete producers throughout the U.S.

According to Scott Ziegler, Vice President of Ash Sales and Marketing at Charah: “As one of the leading fly ash sales and marketing companies in the country, we are known for our innovative solutions and superior service. By leveraging SCB’s diversity of materials available and by benefiting from their experience in sourcing materials overseas, we see great potential in marketing the fly ash beneficiation and grinding technologies to our customers, both utilities and concrete producers. These technologies will help to enhance Charah’s portfolio of sustainable offerings for our customers.”

Concrete producers demand the quality and availability that Charah fly ash brings to every project, with the advantages of added strength, durability, increased workability and improved finish product quality. The use of fly ash in concrete products offers benefits in both the hardened and plastic state of concrete. In addition to improving the finished product quality, using fly ash in concrete products and other applications reduces COemissions and conserves our natural resources by replacing materials that would otherwise have to be mined and processed for these products.

Using slag cement in concrete products conserves natural resources, reduces the overall carbon footprint and reduces the need for landfills due to its higher replacement rate than other SCMs. Slag cement, produced by grinding blast furnace slag granules from the steel-making industry, is a sustainable material providing strength, durability, improved finishability and consistent performance in concrete.

Click here to see a complete map of Charah’s MultiSource fly ash network locations.

About Charah, LLC

Founded in 1987, Charah®, LLC is a total solutions company providing unparalleled service and innovation. Based in Louisville, KY, Charah provides ash management, fly ash sales and marketing, and utility support services for the coal-fired power generation industry. Charah assists utilities with all aspects of managing and recycling ash byproducts generated from the combustion of coal in the production of electricity. Services include landfill design, construction, management, operations and closure; fly ash, bottom ash and gypsum sales and marketing; ash pond management and closure; structural fill projects; and power plant support services including limestone supply and FGD operations. For more information, please visit www.charah.com. 

MultiSource is a registered trademark of Charah, LLC in the United States.