Dallas-based Eagle Materials Inc. announced that its board of directors approved a $65 million expansion of its Illinois Cement Co. subsidiary's cement plant in LaSalle, Illinois. Planning for the project has been completed and construction is expected to begin immediately with startup scheduled for late 2006.

The modernized plant will incorporate state-of-the-art technology maximizing operating efficiencies and will strengthen Eagle's position in its marketplace. The expansion will increase the plant's annual manufacturing capacity about 65%, to approximately 1.1 million tons of cement, and reduce manufacturing costs by approximately 20%, according to the company. The existing plant, which became operational in 1974, has an annual capacity of approximately 670,000 tons of cement.

With this expansion Illinois Cement re-emphasizes its commitment in the Illinois and southern Wisconsin markets, including the key cities of Chicago and Milwaukee.