LaFarge Corporation           (LaFarge North America)                          1989 - Present

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New plant construction started in 1989.  This is one of the present day Cedarapids crushing plants.

In 1989 Standard LaFarge took control of the quarry property from Standard Slag.  The new plant that was designed when Standard Slag was present was completed in 1990.  Plant "C" was then abandon and the screen house dismantled.  The only remaining parts of Plant "C" today is the remains of the primary plant, surge pile stacker, stacking towers, and stone testing tower.   Also in 1991 the old loading dock was dismantled and a new improved one installed.  The new loading dock can accomondate larger vessels compared to the one built in 1928.  The overhead conveyor to the dock was also replaced with a new belt system larger then the previous one.  With these steps LaFarge expanded the operation at Marblehead not previously seen since the 1960's.  Quarry productivity increased with the new plant as stockpiles are constantly fed on from new customers.

This conveyor belt takes crushed stone to additional screening, washing, stock piling.  This is the main leading out of the quarry.

The Central Complex shortly after Lafarge control.

Pit operations continued to expand south and then southwest.  LaFarge also started in 1991 to hire out contractors to remove all railroad tracks and ties on the main line.  This project would go on and off until 1997 when all tracks have been removed.   1995 Was also the beginning of the end for the Central Complex.  The main repair shops, cooperhouse, warehouse, and shower facility was dismantled.  Buildings that stood for almost a century vanished.      The main enginehouse at the central complex was razed in 2000.  Diesel engine number 51 was pulled out three years prior and scrapped out front.  The major changes began to occur in 1997 when a new primary crushing plant was erected.  This helped to boost the incomming supply of raw material for different aggregate production.   With this new addition, Caterpillar 775B dump trucks were purchased to haul shot rock from the face to the primary plant.  Once again the quarry turned back to the basics.     In 2004 LaFarge North America in which it is now called seized control of the Kellstone Inc. quarry on Kelley's Island.   Now both Marblehead and Kelley's Island Operations are active.   What would a KIL&T administrator think of that?

A new loading dock was the last phase of the upgrade.  This shows the dock conveyor removal in 1991.