By THE HERALD-WHIG STAFF

CLARKSVILLE, Mo. -- Holcim, a supplier of cement and minerals, announced plans today to close plants in the U.S. and Spain, including the Holcim cement plant in Clarksville.

The Clarksville plant closing, which is expected to be in the first quarter of 2009, will put 181 people out of work.

The Holcim cement plant is on Mo. 79 between Clarksville and Louisiana.

Also to be closed are plants in Dundee, Mich., and Torredonjimeno, Spain.

A press release on the company's Web site cited turbulence in the financial sector, rising inflation, a surge in costs and continued weak economic growth in the third quarter as reasons behind the closings.

Calls to Holcim were not returned by press time.

Pike County Economic Development officials and other area leaders were to meet today to develop plans for how to help employees at Holcim.

The combined annual production capacity of Holcim U.S. plants is 2.2 million tons of cement.

According to the company, the U.S., the United Kingdom and Spain in particular saw sharp drops in demand for construction materials. Holcim US sold less cement this year in almost all regions, with a particular decline in volumes in the Great Lakes and Mississippi regions.

Cement sales in the North American region fell by 9.7 percent to 11.2 million tons, and volumes of aggregates sold were down by 12.3 percent to 37.7 million tons.

Holcim is a Swiss-based company with 16 manufacturing facilities and 76 distribution terminals in the United States.