The Sustainable Beef processing facility in North Platte, Nebraska, began operations in May 2025. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified to protect the plant’s below-grade concrete structures from high groundwater levels typical for the region.
The Sustainable Beef Company, a partnership of Midwestern ranchers, feeders, meat processors, and retailers, was created to ensure a reliable source of high-quality beef. The new North Platte facility spans 550,000 ft2 (50,000 m2), making it one of the largest processing plants in the country. It can process 1,500 head of cattle daily and accommodate 22 to 26 reefer trucks that supply the nationwide Walmart (a minority shareholder) network of retail food outlets.
Schmeekle Brothers Construction, the general contractor for Sustainable Beef, specified a durable waterproofing solution for the plant’s below-grade concrete structures to protect against the hydrostatic pressure of high groundwater levels encountered at the construction site. As a result, Paulsen, the ready-mix concrete supplier, incorporated PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, into the mix design to reduce the permeability of the concrete structures by up to 98% compared to untreated concrete.
"Thanks to the soluble bag packaging of PENETRON ADMIX SB, the correct measuring and mixing of the admixture into the concrete – for any project – is simplified,” explained Patrick O’Brien, Western Region Sales Manager for Penetron USA.
When added to concrete, the active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX SB react to moisture to form insoluble crystals that fill capillaries, microcracks, and pores within the concrete. This network of crystals blocks the pathways for water and chemicals, greatly reducing the risk of corrosion and chemical attack – and ensuring the durability and longevity of the plant’s below-grade concrete structures.
“Thanks to the proven performance of PENETRON ADMIX SB in similar manufacturing applications – and the self-healing capability to create new crystal formations that seal any newly formed microcracks that may occur in the future – Sustainable Beef was very happy with the results,” says Patrick O’Brien.
Below-grade concrete protected by Penetron: One of the largest processing plants in the country, the meat processing plant in North Platte (550,000-ft2) processes 1,500 head of cattle daily.
Durable concrete solution: Once added to the mix, the active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX form insoluble crystals to ensure the impermeability and longevity of the below-grade concrete structures.
