Building Mobile's Future: Infrastructure Projects Reshaping the Port City
Founded in 1702, the city of Mobile is one of the country’s oldest cities, shaped by centuries of life along the Gulf Coast.
Mobile, Alabama, moves to its own rhythm. It's a city where deep roots meet forward momentum — where centuries-old traditions like America’s original Mardi Gras live alongside a busy port that powers global trade. Here, heritage and growth don’t compete; they complement each other.
That balance is defining Mobile’s next chapter. Across the city, major investments in industry, infrastructure and education are shaping how people live, work and connect.
Bradley Byrne, president and CEO of the Mobile Chamber, sees Amrize as central to that ecosystem. “Companies like Amrize play a critical role in Mobile’s economy and the industries that drive our region forward — manufacturing the materials that help build roads, bridges and communities across the Gulf Coast.”
Mobile’s broader strength, he says, comes from that same foundation. “Mobile’s success is built on a diverse manufacturing base, and companies like Amrize help ensure our region remains competitive, resilient and positioned for continued growth.”
Amrize is proud to be a part of that story, supplying the advanced building materials behind some of the city’s most important developments. From the waterfront to the classroom, here’s a look at three projects helping redefine the Port City’s future.
1. Bringing global travel closer with the new Downtown International Airport
Mobile International Airport is the Gulf Coast’s newest airport terminal, located just minutes from Downtown Mobile.
For years, international travel from Mobile meant a long drive out of the city first. That changes in 2026.
The downtown Mobile International Airport will bring commercial flights closer to the city center, improving access for residents, businesses, and visitors. With easy access to major interstates and modern terminal infrastructure, the project is designed to support the area's long-term economic growth.
“This project is a major milestone for Mobile. It will give residents direct access to an international airport, opening doors for global travel and connectivity. From an economic standpoint, its location and ease of access will have a significant and lasting impact."
Building the terminal
The airport’s new terminal is planned to connect directly to a parking garage and feature restaurants, coffee shops and local artwork throughout the space.
The airport’s new terminal is planned to connect directly to a parking garage and feature restaurants, coffee shops and local artwork throughout the space.
At the heart of the project is a new passenger terminal designed with both function and local character in mind. The terminal will open with five gates, with infrastructure in place to expand to 12 as demand grows — providing flexibility for future service and additional destinations.
Delivering a space built to serve the community today and scale for tomorrow required steady coordination behind the scenes. With terminal construction and apron paving moving forward simultaneously, the project depended on large volumes of material on a tight construction schedule. Amrize supplied its OneCem cement for the terminal and related support structures to keep work progressing on both fronts.
Allgood emphasized the partnership behind the build: “The Amrize team was first-class. They brought strong products, an exceptional team, and consistently delivered. They’ve always helped service our needs — not just on this project, but across many others as well.”
Paving the Apron
Aerial view of the airport’s apron features one of the largest applications of MaxCem Type 1S on the Alabama coast, engineered for heavy aircraft loads.
The apron required pavement capable of withstanding decades of heavy aircraft traffic — and a cement supply to match the project’s scale and pace. Amrize’s MaxCem cement, with slag incorporated to control the heat of hydration and support strength gain in Mobile’s warm climate. It was supplied at the volumes needed as construction advanced on the apron's 16-inch pavement system — one of the largest applications of MaxCem on the Alabama coast to date.
A.G. Peltz Group placed the pavement chosen for the qualities that matter most on an aircraft apron — including a dense, fuel-resistant surface — while allowing for fast placement.
“These projects come with extremely high specifications. From long-term durability and strength to reactivity and how all the materials fit together. We’re proud that 100% of our samples and placements exceeded strength requirements."
Gray added, “On a project of this scale, there was never a question about quality.”
What it means for Mobile
- Expands access to international air travel
- Strengthens downtown economic development
- Establishes a modern transportation hub for the Gulf Coast
2. Empowering tomorrow’s healthcare professionals at the University of South Alabama
The new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine project is a 250,000-square-foot facility scheduled to open in 2027.
Aerial view of construction underway on the University of South Alabama campus in Mobile.
A city’s future isn’t built only in its terminals and runways — it’s built in its classrooms and labs, too.
The University of South Alabama is advancing construction on a new Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building — a $200 million investment designed to enhance medical students' education and accelerate medical research.
Amrize is supplying OneCem cement for the structure, a blended cement that reduces the building’s environmental footprint, without sacrificing strength or workability. The facility will house state‑of‑the‑art laboratories, flexible research spaces and increased classroom capacity.
What it means for Mobile
- Expands medical education capacity to address critical physician shortages
- Provides advanced research spaces for medical innovation
- Strengthens the region’s healthcare infrastructure for decades
3. Expanding global trade at the Port of Mobile
The Port of Mobile is growing — fast. As one of the most rapidly expanding container ports in the United States, APM Terminals is increasing its capacity to accommodate heavier loads and operate around the clock. These upgrades strengthen Alabama’s role in global trade while supporting hundreds of jobs in logistics, transportation and manufacturing.
To support the development of one of the latest phases, Peltz Companies Inc. partnered with Amrize to supply MaxCem blended cement for approximately 80,000 cubic yards of roller-compacted concrete (RCC) pavement. The project called for a Portland-slag formulation capable of controlling heat of hydration across large continuous pours — a performance requirement that made MaxCem the right fit.
The result: a durable surface engineered for nonstop container traffic, yard cranes and heavy transport vehicles.
Newly placed RCC pavement was installed to help boost the terminal’s capacity and operational efficiency.
Jake Peltz, vice president at Peltz Companies, Inc., has seen the results firsthand across multiple phases of the program. “The fourth phase of improvements at the Port of Mobile represents a vital investment in the long-term growth and competitiveness of this key economic hub. RCC pavement is uniquely suited to this environment, providing the strength and long service life necessary to withstand heavy container traffic and demanding industrial conditions."
Having completed prior phases, he says, the team came in with a clear-eyed understanding of what the port requires. "Our partnership with Amrize has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life — combining decades of expertise and quality materials to deliver infrastructure that will serve the Gulf for decades to come."
What it means for Mobile
- Supports heavier cargo loads and 24/7 port operations
- Strengthens regional and national supply chains and employment
- Reinforces Mobile’s position as a growing global logistics hub
Bringing everything together through partnership
Across ports, airports and university campuses, one theme connects these projects: partnership.
For Don Carlisle, that partnership is personal. Mobile has been home for over 20 years, and as Amrize’s market manager for Alabama, he has watched the region transform. “I've had the privilege of representing Amrize throughout Alabama during one of the most dynamic periods of growth the Southeast has ever seen,” he says. “The Gulf South is an exciting place to live and work, and I take tremendous pride in working for a company that has played such a vital role in the region's past, present and future.”