Medusa Cement, Sandusky
Re: Medusa Cement, Sandusky
Here is bit more on the history lesson.
http://ech.case.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=MC1
MEDUSA CORP., a nationally known cement company, was founded by 3 brothers, Arthur, Spencer, and Wm. Newberry, as the Sandusky Portland Cement Co. in 1892, with offices in Cleveland and a plant at Bay Bridge near Sandusky. The company was shortly renamed Medusa Portland Cement Co. for the Greek goddess Medusa, who turned all who looked at her to stone. In its first 50 years, the company, utilizing a formula for Portland cement discovered by brothers Spencer and William, expanded to 8 plants in 5 states as cement became a popular, relatively low-priced building material. Its real prosperity occurred after World War II, however, when pent-up demand for houses, schools, and hospitals and the postwar construction of local and interstate HIGHWAYS increased the use of cement. Medusa enjoyed record sales nearly every year during the 1950s, and by 1959 the company had outgrown its offices in the Midland Bldg. and constructed new headquarters at 3008 Monticello Blvd. in CLEVELAND HEIGHTS The firm expanded and modernized its facilities, doubling its production between 1952 and 1963 and marketed innovative cement products that were precast, prestressed, and pigmented. Acquisitions, beginning in 1969, involved the firm in a variety of building-material and construction operations. In 1972 the company shortened its name to Medusa Corp., and in the late 1970s merged with Crane Co. of New York, a manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, steel, and building products. Crane operated Medusa as a separate subsidiary, with headquarters in Cleveland. In 1982, however, Medusa left the Crane Co. to once again become an independent corporation. In 1993, Medusa acquired a cement plant in Demopolis, Alabama, for $50 million and, under the guidance of senior vice president Phillip W. Gutman, who negotiated new contracts with local utilities and orchestrated other cost saving measures, the purchase increased Medusa's capacity to make cement by 30 percent. By 1995, Medusa employed 90 persons locally and owned 4 cement plants, 10 quarries, and several terminals in 12 states. The following year, the company reported a net income of $52.4 million on revenues of nearly $323.4 million. Early in 1998, Medusa acquired Commonwealth Stone, a producer of crushed-stone based in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The merger increased Medusa's output of aggregate construction materials by over 25 percent to over 7 million tons annually. Later that year, Medusa annouced that it would be acquired by Southdown Inc., a Houston-based cement producer, for $1 billion in stock. The merger created the second largest (and the largest domestically owned) cement company in the country with operations in 11 states. The merger moved Medusa's operations in Cleveland Heights to Houston and left Southdown with a 15-year, $7 million lease for a 3-story office building at 3300 Enterprise Pkwy in BEACHWOOD that was constructed to serve as Medusa's new headquarters. In 1999, Southdown, Inc. completed a deal to transfer the property to the Developers Diversified Realty Corp.
http://ech.case.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=MC1
MEDUSA CORP., a nationally known cement company, was founded by 3 brothers, Arthur, Spencer, and Wm. Newberry, as the Sandusky Portland Cement Co. in 1892, with offices in Cleveland and a plant at Bay Bridge near Sandusky. The company was shortly renamed Medusa Portland Cement Co. for the Greek goddess Medusa, who turned all who looked at her to stone. In its first 50 years, the company, utilizing a formula for Portland cement discovered by brothers Spencer and William, expanded to 8 plants in 5 states as cement became a popular, relatively low-priced building material. Its real prosperity occurred after World War II, however, when pent-up demand for houses, schools, and hospitals and the postwar construction of local and interstate HIGHWAYS increased the use of cement. Medusa enjoyed record sales nearly every year during the 1950s, and by 1959 the company had outgrown its offices in the Midland Bldg. and constructed new headquarters at 3008 Monticello Blvd. in CLEVELAND HEIGHTS The firm expanded and modernized its facilities, doubling its production between 1952 and 1963 and marketed innovative cement products that were precast, prestressed, and pigmented. Acquisitions, beginning in 1969, involved the firm in a variety of building-material and construction operations. In 1972 the company shortened its name to Medusa Corp., and in the late 1970s merged with Crane Co. of New York, a manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, steel, and building products. Crane operated Medusa as a separate subsidiary, with headquarters in Cleveland. In 1982, however, Medusa left the Crane Co. to once again become an independent corporation. In 1993, Medusa acquired a cement plant in Demopolis, Alabama, for $50 million and, under the guidance of senior vice president Phillip W. Gutman, who negotiated new contracts with local utilities and orchestrated other cost saving measures, the purchase increased Medusa's capacity to make cement by 30 percent. By 1995, Medusa employed 90 persons locally and owned 4 cement plants, 10 quarries, and several terminals in 12 states. The following year, the company reported a net income of $52.4 million on revenues of nearly $323.4 million. Early in 1998, Medusa acquired Commonwealth Stone, a producer of crushed-stone based in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The merger increased Medusa's output of aggregate construction materials by over 25 percent to over 7 million tons annually. Later that year, Medusa annouced that it would be acquired by Southdown Inc., a Houston-based cement producer, for $1 billion in stock. The merger created the second largest (and the largest domestically owned) cement company in the country with operations in 11 states. The merger moved Medusa's operations in Cleveland Heights to Houston and left Southdown with a 15-year, $7 million lease for a 3-story office building at 3300 Enterprise Pkwy in BEACHWOOD that was constructed to serve as Medusa's new headquarters. In 1999, Southdown, Inc. completed a deal to transfer the property to the Developers Diversified Realty Corp.
Re: Medusa Cement, Sandusky
Very interesting. Thanks guys!
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Dave Wobser
Re: Medusa Cement, Sandusky
My grandfather and my father both worked there at one time. This would have been in the early 1900's. There was no ship loading facility, only rail and truck. The New York Central mainline, running between New York and Chicago, passes next to the plant and crosses Sandusky Bay on the bridge in your picture. The opening is for small boats. Ohio Route 2 used to parallel the railroad on a similar bridge that now is only two long fishing piers running out into the river. The highway bridge had a verticle lift section in the middle to allow sailboats to pass thru. This bridge was replaced by the Thomas Edison Bridge presently in use.
To the south of Route 2 are the pits where the raw material was dug. It was transported to the plant on a narrow gauge railroad that use little steam engines. The swampy area that is near the Edison Bridge is actually part of the area that was dug. As kids, we usedto look for the engines when traveling between Sandusky and Toledo.
To the south of Route 2 are the pits where the raw material was dug. It was transported to the plant on a narrow gauge railroad that use little steam engines. The swampy area that is near the Edison Bridge is actually part of the area that was dug. As kids, we usedto look for the engines when traveling between Sandusky and Toledo.
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William Lafferty
- Posts: 1569
- Joined: March 13, 2010, 10:51 am
Re: Medusa Cement, Sandusky
The Sandusky Standard Portland Cement Co., founded at Bay Bridge by the Newberry brothers in 1892 to exploit the immediate area's rich lime deposits, was the forerunner of Medusa, Sandusky Portland assuming the name Medusa Portland Cement Co. in 1929. The Bay Bridge (Sandusky) plant relied on rail and truck shipment of its output.
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John Clark
Re: Medusa Cement, Sandusky
The Medusa Cement facility is located in Bay Village and was constructed for the building of the nearby Ohio Turnpike.
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JBrent
Re: Medusa Cement, Sandusky
Ships did not go threw that bridge the silos are right next to the railroad and i think most of the transporting was done by trains and trucks. I live in Sandusky and I can't remember the place in operation. I'll have to pick the brains of some old timers in the area.
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MichaelB
Re: Medusa Cement, Sandusky
I can't speak to much about the silos at Sandusky. What I can offer is a rough "remembrance" of the company and silos here in Detroit. As I vaguely recall, Medusa Cement was sold to a company called "Cemex". This happened in the late 90's or early 2000's. After that I believe the company was sold again. I cannot recall to whom, and I have done some searching through Google but I'm tired and can't fine the specifics.
Anyway, there were two Medusa silos on the Detroit River, north of the RenCen. Both have been taken down now, as well as a LaFarge plant which was also north of the RenCan. Detroit now has a cement receiving point on the Rouge River. Anyway, the two silos that were taken down were Medusa silos, one with the Medusa name emblazoned on top of it.
As for your question, I cannot tell who might own the Sandusky silos now or anything about the shipments that might come in there. Sorry. I do think that the Medusa name might be owned by another. Whether or not they are using the same terminal under a different name is another matter. I do remember vaguely that the Medusa silos in Detroit were used under another name (Southdown? .... maybe?) before they were closed and demolished. Maybe the operators that took over or are still doing business under the "Southdown" name are still using the Sandusky terminal. Might be worth a Google, or if others have info then please amend accordingly.
Just a $0.02 for this thread and some vague history for conversations sake.
Anyway, there were two Medusa silos on the Detroit River, north of the RenCen. Both have been taken down now, as well as a LaFarge plant which was also north of the RenCan. Detroit now has a cement receiving point on the Rouge River. Anyway, the two silos that were taken down were Medusa silos, one with the Medusa name emblazoned on top of it.
As for your question, I cannot tell who might own the Sandusky silos now or anything about the shipments that might come in there. Sorry. I do think that the Medusa name might be owned by another. Whether or not they are using the same terminal under a different name is another matter. I do remember vaguely that the Medusa silos in Detroit were used under another name (Southdown? .... maybe?) before they were closed and demolished. Maybe the operators that took over or are still doing business under the "Southdown" name are still using the Sandusky terminal. Might be worth a Google, or if others have info then please amend accordingly.
Just a $0.02 for this thread and some vague history for conversations sake.
Medusa Cement, Sandusky
Does anybody know much about the old Medusa Cement silos west of Sandusky? Looks like it was quite the terminal. I'm guessing there was a dock next to it but don't know what side it would have been on. There is a railroad causeway next to it with a lift bridge on it. Was this opened to allow ships to Medusa?
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