Mississippi Lime Company

What Mississippi Lime Company does

Mississippi Lime Company (MLC), founded in 1907 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a privately held producer of high-purity calcium-based mineral products serving industrial, environmental, food, and infrastructure markets. The company mines one of the world's purest limestone deposits at Ste. Genevieve, Missouri (98.5% average CaCO3), which it processes through rotary and vertical kilns into quicklime (calcium oxide), hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide), dolomitic lime, and ground calcium carbonate under proprietary brands including VitaCal (food-grade), MicroCal (chemical grade), PolyCal (plastics/rubber), PetroCal (petroleum), and CalCarb (ground calcium carbonate). MLC operates the largest lime facility in the Americas and a network of 12+ plants and distribution terminals across the United States plus the Singleton Birch operation in Lincolnshire, UK (acquired 2022), distributing products by barge, rail, and the captive MLC Trucking subsidiary.

MLC serves a diversified vertical customer base — Energy & Emissions Treatment, Water Treatment, Steel and Metals, Foods and Beverages, Construction, Glass and Fiberglass, Chemical Manufacturing, Paper, Plastics and Rubber, Agriculture, and Battery Minerals — with specialty grades tied to certifications including FSSC 22000, ISO 9001:2015, Halal, Kosher-Pareve, FDA 21 CFR Part 110, Food Chemicals Codex 12th Edition, NSF/ANSI/CAN 60, and AWWA B202-19. GTM is sales-led through regional sales managers with technical application support; orders are placed via phone, email, fax, or web form. Revenue is generated one-time through the sale of calcium products in bulk, 50-lb bags, and super-sack formats, with quote-based pricing and historical mid-single-digit to low-double-digit price increases tied to energy, mining, labor, and freight input costs.

The company is owned by HBM Holdings, an investment and management company created by the Harry B. Mathews trust in 2012 to acquire and grow middle-market industrial businesses. Under HBM Holdings, MLC has pursued an aggressive inorganic growth strategy, completing five acquisitions between 2015 and 2026 (Breen Energy Solutions, Mercer's Hydrated Lime Business, Southern Lime, Valley Minerals, Singleton Birch, and Burnett), expanding into emissions monitoring, steel-grade dolomitic lime, and international operations, and pursuing decarbonization through a hydrogen-fueled low-carbon lime initiative with Centrica (2025).

Name

Mississippi Lime Company

Legal name

Mississippi Lime Company

Website

https://mlc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Mississippi Lime Company is a private producer of high-purity calcium products — quicklime, hydrated lime, dolomitic lime, and ground calcium carbonate — serving steel, water treatment, food and beverage, environmental, and industrial markets across North America and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lime and Calcium Products

NAICS

Crushed and Broken Limestone Mining and Quarrying (212312), Lime Manufacturing (327410), Lime Manufacturing (32741)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)

akta.pro primary industry

Limestone Quarrying (Industrial & Construction Grade) (IMAKAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agricultural Lime (Calcitic & Dolomitic) (AFABADAA), Softening & Demineralization (Lime Softening, Ion Exchange) (EUANABAE)

Keywords

• Calcium products manufacturing
• Lime production services
• Industrial minerals supply
• Flue gas treatment chemicals
• Water treatment reagents

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Calcium-based product sales: MLC generates revenue through the sale of calcium-based mineral products including quicklime, hydrated lime, dolomitic lime, and ground calcium carbonate. Products are sold in various forms — bulk, 50# bags, super sacks/bulk bags — and shipped via rail, barge, and truck. Pricing is negotiated through regional sales managers and customer service, with typical lead times of 3-7 days for bulk products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mississippi Lime Company mines high-purity limestone (98.5% CaCO3 average) from its reserves in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri and processes it into calcium oxide (quicklime), calcium hydroxide (hydrated lime), dolomitic lime, and ground calcium carbonate products for industrial customers. The company offers standard grades plus specialty and food-grade branded product families (VitaCal, MicroCal, PolyCal, PetroCal, CalCarb) shipped in bulk, 50# bags, and super sacks via rail, barge, and truck from 12+ U.S. plants and terminals, plus UK operations through Singleton Birch.

Product overview

Mississippi Lime Company (MLC) is a world-class producer of calcium products supplying quicklime, hydrated lime, dolomitic lime, and ground calcium carbonate. The company operates over twelve plants and terminals across North America and the UK through its Singleton Birch subsidiary. The product portfolio is organized around three core product families: Quicklime (calcium oxide CaO), Hydrated Lime (calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2), and Ground Calcium Carbonate (limestone), each available in standard, specialty, and food-grade formulations. Specialty products include branded families such as VitaCal® (food-grade), MicroCal® (high-purity chemical grade), PetroCal® (petroleum industry), PolyCal® (plastics/rubber), CalCarb® (ground calcium carbonate), and Activated Fine Lime (water treatment). The company also offers mobile equipment solutions including Hydrolime™ mobile makedown systems and DSI systems for on-site applications. MLC serves diverse markets including steel, construction, chemicals, water treatment, environmental, glass, plastics, agriculture, and foods/beverages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MLC Standard Quicklime High calcium content calcium oxide (CaO) derived from 98.5% pure calcium carbonate; available in sizes from 1/4" to 2"; used in flue gas desulfurization, water treatment, steel, paper, chemical, and environmental applications.
• MLC Pulverized Quicklime Fine particle size calcium oxide with consistent chemical and physical properties for fiberglass, glass, and steel applications.
• Activated Fine Lime (AFL) High-performance quicklime for water treatment offering less insoluble grit, better slaking performance, dosage reduction, and faster reacting speed.
• VitaCal O Calcium Oxide Food-grade, high-purity calcium oxide meeting Food Chemical Codex specifications with lead content less than 0.5 ppm; used in chemical and food industries.
• MicroCal O Calcium Oxide Calcium oxide product family for chemical manufacturing applications where purity and reactivity are important, available in OF100, OF200, OF325, OFT15, and OXP grades.
• PetroCal O Calcium Oxide Calcium oxide designed for the petroleum additives industry, available in OS100 (coarse, slow reacting) and OF100 (coarse, fast reacting) grades.
• PolyCal O Calcium Oxide Calcium oxide produced for rubber and plastics industries where tight sizing and reactivity control are essential; available in OS325, OF325, and OFT15 grades.
• MLC Standard Hydrated Lime Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) refined mineral product for water treatment, construction, chemical manufacturing, and environmental applications; available in standard, SP, FGT, and HR grades.
• MLC Activated Hydrated Lime (AHL) High-performance hydrated lime for water treatment offering very low grit, dosage reduction, less variability, and faster reacting speed.
• Hydrated Lime FGT High-purity hydrated lime for Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) for SO3 mitigation with reactive product (>21 m2/g BET surface area).
• High Reactivity Hydrated Lime (HRH) High reactivity hydrated lime for rapid acid gas capture in flue gas treatment; suitable for systems with short duct runs and mercury control programs.
• MLC Liquid Calcium Hydroxide 38% solids homogenous slurry of calcium hydroxide with mean particle size of 6 microns; used in water treatment, wastewater treatment, acid neutralization, and flue gas scrubbing.
• MicroCal H Calcium Hydroxide High-purity hydrated lime for chemical processing applications, available in HF (high total calcium hydroxide, low impurities) and HFT20 (controlled top size, steep particle size distribution) grades.
• VitaCal H Calcium Hydroxide High-purity food-grade calcium hydroxide meeting FCC specifications with ultra-low lead (less than 0.1 ppm) and arsenic (less than 0.5 ppm); available in powder and VitaCal LCH liquid forms for food and beverage applications.
• PetroCal H Calcium Hydroxide Calcium hydroxide designed for the petroleum additives industry, configurable for specific sizing and purity requirements.
• MLC Dolomitic Lime Dolomitic lime containing both magnesium oxide and calcium oxide; valued in steel manufacturing for extending furnace refractory life and acting as a fluxing agent. Available in grades 2"x1", 3/4"x1/2", 7/16"x0, and Granular.
• CalCarb Calcium Carbonate Family of limestone products mined from 98.5% pure calcium carbonate deposit in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri; includes R1 (16 mesh for glass-making), R2 (200 mesh for chemical applications), Mineral Filler, Coal Mine Rock Dust, Athletic Field Marker, and Ag Stone grades.
• CalCarb AC3 Calcium Carbonate 3-micron median particle size, off-white natural calcium carbonate filler for PVC and LDPE plastic compounds with 15 micron top-cut, low silica content, and spherical shape for high impact resistance.
• Feed Grade Limestone Granular calcium carbonate with 98.5% purity used in mineral feeds and poultry grits due to high calcium content and consistent particle size.
• Code L Lime Kiln Dust Co-product from calcium material manufacturing used in soil drying and soil modification applications.
• Code H Low-cost powder calcium co-product used as an effective neutralizer for certain industrial processes.
• Limestone Screenings Lower purity, un-sized limestone product co-produced during manufacturing.
• Hydrolime Mobile Makedown Systems Mobile equipment for on-site hydrated lime preparation and delivery for water treatment applications.
• MLC Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) Systems Mobile equipment systems for flue gas treatment using dry sorbent injection of hydrated lime for acid gas control.

Quantifiable outcome

• VitaCal food-grade calcium oxide has less than 0.5 ppm lead — among the lowest lead calcium oxides available for food applications
• +5 more outcomes

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• BurnettstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2026MLC acquired Burnett in January 2026, expanding its mineral solutions portfolio and operations. This is MLC's most recent acquisition as of the data cutoff, representing continued expansion of the company's product and operational capabilities.
• CentricastrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2025Centrica (British energy company) partnered with MLC and Singleton Birch on a funding milestone for producing low-carbon lime using hydrogen. This partnership supports MLC's sustainability goals and decarbonization of lime production, with Centrica providing hydrogen fuel expertise.
• Valley MineralsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2022MLC acquired Valley Minerals, a dolomitic quicklime producer based in Missouri (Bonne Terre, MO). The acquisition supports MLC's expansion in the steel production market and includes plans to replace the existing rotary kiln with a more energy-efficient vertical kiln at the facility.
• Singleton BirchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingleton Birch is MLC's UK subsidiary acquired in September 2022 as part of MLC's global expansion strategy. Located in Lincolnshire, UK, Singleton Birch produces lime products serving UK and European markets. MLC and Singleton Birch collaborate on innovation initiatives including low-carbon lime production using hydrogen.
• Breen Energy SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreen Energy Solutions is a MLC subsidiary acquired in 2015 that provides AbSensor probes for measuring the performance of Dry Sorbent Injection systems. Breen complements MLC's lime products with monitoring technology for the flue gas treatment industry.
• Missouri University of Science and TechnologyminorOthersMLC has a relationship with Missouri S&T through its mine rescue team competitions held at the university's Experimental Mine, board membership by William H. Ayers on the Mining Engineering program advisory board, and recruiting/hiring of graduates.
• Benchmark MineralsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMLC participated as an exhibitor and presenter at Benchmark Week 2023 (Critical Minerals Symposium) hosted by Benchmark Minerals at the Ritz Carlton Los Angeles. Miley Hall, New Market Growth Director, presented on the role of calcium in the battery minerals supply chain.
• NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR)minorOthersNSF-ISR provided ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Certification to MLC's specialty operations in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• US Lime & Minerals: US Lime & Minerals produces lime and limestone from Texas and Oklahoma operations serving oil and gas, steel, and environmental markets — a smaller direct US peer comparable in product mix and end-market exposure.
• Carmeuse: Carmeuse is a global producer of lime, limestone, and dolomitic products with North American operations serving steel, water treatment, environmental, and construction end markets; a direct competitor to MLC across product portfolio and geography.
• Specialty Minerals Inc. (Minerals Technologies): Specialty Minerals Inc., a subsidiary of Minerals Technologies, produces precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and ground calcium carbonate used in paper, plastics, and consumer products — overlapping with MLC's CalCarb ground calcium carbonate and MicroCal specialty portfolios.
• Graymont: Graymont is one of the largest lime producers in North America with vertically integrated limestone reserves and a broad quicklime, hydrated lime, and dolomitic lime portfolio serving steel, environmental, and industrial customers — directly comparable to MLC's core offering.
• Lhoist: Lhoist is a privately held global lime and mineral products producer with North American and European operations covering quicklime, hydrated lime, and specialty products for environmental and industrial applications — directly comparable to MLC.
• Pete Lien & Sons: Pete Lien & Sons is a family-owned producer of quicklime, hydrated lime, and ground limestone in the western United States serving environmental, mining, and industrial customers — comparable to MLC in product range and B2B sales motion.

Broad incumbents

• Imerys: Imerys is a global specialty minerals producer covering functional fillers, calcium carbonates, and industrial minerals broadly across construction, paper, and consumer goods — overlapping with MLC's ground calcium carbonate and specialty products as part of a wider portfolio.
• Vulcan Materials Company: Vulcan Materials is the largest US producer of construction aggregates, including limestone aggregate for concrete and asphalt, sharing quarrying, mineral processing capabilities and end-market exposure with MLC's limestone reserves.
• Ash Grove (CRH): Ash Grove Cement, a CRH subsidiary, manufactures cement and concrete products in the central US, sharing regional limestone-mining heritage and construction end-markets with Mississippi Lime — partially overlapping with MLC's construction segment.

Regional players

• Nordkalk: Nordkalk is a leading European producer of limestone-based products including quicklime and ground calcium carbonate, owned by Rettig Group — comparable to MLC's Singleton Birch UK operations across similar products, with primarily European geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mississippi-lime-company

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mississippi Lime Company