New tenant at Port of Palm Beach constructed an inflatable concrete storage facility in just 3 hours

Mike Diamond, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read
The Ozinga cement terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on August 3, 2023. The inflatable building receives and stores international shipments of cement that can be transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.
The Ozinga cement terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on August 3, 2023. The inflatable building receives and stores international shipments of cement that can be transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.

RIVIERA BEACH — A one-in-a kind inflatable structure is now part of the landscape at the Port of Palm Beach with its newest tenant, Ozinga, storing thousands of tons of cement in the structure.

It staged a ribbon-cutting ceremony in June to mark the opening of the first cement terminal on the southeast coast of Florida in more than 50 years, according to Justin Ozinga, president of the company.

It took Ozinga, a fourth-generation family-owned construction materials company, just three hours to inflate the structure in late May. The facility will receive and store international shipments of cement that will then be transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.

Terminal manager Arnoldo Lara stands in the tunnel of the Ozinga cement terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on August 3, 2023. The facility receives and stores international shipments of cement that are transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.
Terminal manager Arnoldo Lara stands in the tunnel of the Ozinga cement terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on August 3, 2023. The facility receives and stores international shipments of cement that are transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.

It is expected to be able store more than 50 million tons of product that is extracted from ships that come into the port with a certain type of ship unloader. The cement is then pneumatically conveyed to the dome through a 20-foot pipeline.

Known for its iconic red-and-white-striped trucks, Ozinga has supplied ready-mix concrete for commercial, residential, public works and excavation projects from its existing locations in Davie, Doral, Miami Gardens and Miami since 2017.

“We are extremely excited for the opportunities this terminal (at the Port of Palm Beach) will have on the construction industry as a whole, as well as the jobs it will bring to the local communities,” said Justin Ozinga, president of the company.

More: Port of Palm Beach planning for huge growth next 20 years

The Ozinga cement terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on August 3, 2023. The faciliy receives and stores international shipments of cement that are transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.
The Ozinga cement terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on August 3, 2023. The faciliy receives and stores international shipments of cement that are transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.

The storage facility was designed as part of a cooperative effort between Ozinga, the Port of Palm Beach and the city of Riviera Beach to, in part, enhance the visual landscape of the area and complement the marine environment. Ozinga already has a ready-mix facility in Riviera Beach.

“This cutting-edge cement terminal represents a new chapter in our growth and development,” said Port of Palm Beach Board Chairwoman Jean Enright during the ceremony last month. “With this facility, we not only enhance our region's infrastructure, but also create new opportunities for economic prosperity.”

Also at The Port: Check out the new $7 million manatee-decorated bulk cement unloader

Inflatable structure at Port of Palm Beach stores cement for Ozinga, the port's latest tenant.
Inflatable structure at Port of Palm Beach stores cement for Ozinga, the port's latest tenant.

Ozinga is the second concrete plant to operate at the Port of Palm Beach. Cemex has been a long-term tenant. It supplies ready-mix concrete for small, medium and larger construction projects throughout the state.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Port of Palm Beach tenant Ozinga's inflatable structure stores concrete