The plant occupies approximately 1240 acres, and is located on the southeast edge of the city of Independence. The east property line is the Verdigris River.
An advertisement placed in the local newspaper, on August 8, 1904, by the Western States Portland Cement Company, said: "The company is seeking men with teams of horses to begin construction of a new cement plant in Independence, Kansas". That cement plant, now the Buzzi Unicem USA Independence Plant, is still producing cement one hundred of years later.
By January 11, 1905, the plant had completed construction of a hotel, and 25 houses for its workers to live in. Just a few months later, on July 12th, the steam was turned on, and the plant started producing cement. By September, cement was being shipped to customers. The plant had a horse barn, since horses and mules were the heavy equipment of the time. There was also a company store to supply groceries for the employees, and a electric street car provided transportation from the plant to the city.

The Western States Portland Cement Company sold the Independence plant to Atlas Portland Cement Company in 1923. In 1930 Universal Atlas Cement (a subsidiary of United States Steel) purchased the plant, and operated it for 50 years. Lehigh Cement bought the plant in 1980, and then sold it to Unicem S.p.A. in 1986.
There have been many types of cement made at the Independence plant during the past 100 years. From 1940 until 1960, a low heat cement was made for all the dam construction going on during the time. In 1990, the plant produced Type I, Type II, Type III, Block, Masonry, and Type S Masonry. Presently the plant produces Type I, Type II, and a very fast setting cement called Ultimax. Annual cement production is about 340,000 tons, and there are 110 employees.
Larry Hooper, who has been an employee at the plant for 38 years, is the plant manager.