Quarry Products

Unicem Aquitaine chairman Patrice Gazzarin is angered by the creation of a new under construction aggregate import terminal in Grattequina, south west France. The project requires a €13.7 million investment, primarily financed by local authorities. Gazzarin is quoted in Le Moniteur des Travaux Publics et du Bâtiment saying that the project, designed to receive imports from Norway and Scotland, does not make sense from an environmental or economic point of view. He states that these imports require nine time

Gorazdze, the Polish cement producer owned by HeidelbergCement, aims to increase its annual ready-mixed concrete sales by 1 million m³ to 3 million m³/year and its aggregate production from 6 million tonnes to 10 million tonnes/year by 2019.

The firm’s concrete and aggregate operating profit has systematically fallen over the last few years, and since 2012 has been around zero. Also part of the group’s ambitious new sales strategy, based on its in-house produced cement and aggregates, are plans to increa

Vietnam: Cement consumption, export grew nearly 10% in January-June 2014

Vietnam’s domestic cement consumption and exports rose by almost 10% to 33 million tonnes from January to June 2014, compared to the same period of 2013.

The encouraging figures were revealed by Vietnam Cement Association chairman Nguyen Quang Cung and reported by Vietnam Net. At present, cement plants that are operating in the country are able to produce over 70 million tonnes/year, which satisfies local demand for clinker and c

Italcementi, the Italian construction material specialist, has achieved a 99.42% subscription for its new share emission worth €497.1 million, La Repubblica has reported. The option offer is reported to have involved 103.62 million new shares, of which 103.03 million shares were subscribed. A total 1.394 option rights for 597,570 shares were not underwritten and will be offered on the market until tomorrow (8 July 2014).

Lafarge’s Zambian branch has floated more shares on the stock market, increasing its floating capital to 25%. The French construction materials group received 25.1 million offers for 18.1 million shares in its Zambia operation. Following the move, the parent group will see its stake in the Zambian subsidiary decline to 77.37%. Lafarge Zambia is valued at €622.26 million.

ARM Cement of Kenya has reportedly taken full control of Rwanda-based Kigali Cement. The firm already owns 35% of Kigali Cement, and it has bought out shareholders who held a combined stake of 65% previously. The transaction giving the Kenyan company full control of Kigali cement was finalised in April this year. The cost of the deal was not revealed by ARM Cement, but going by the net asset value of Kigali Cement, it is estimated to be nearly €900,000. The deal will give ARM Cement a stronger foothold in E

HeidelbergCement aims to offload its US and British building products business this year to have the best chance of buying cement assets that Lafarge and Holcim must sell to complete a near €30 billion merger, a source with knowledge of the company's plan has told the Reuters news agency.

Lafarge and Holcim have committed to shed around €5 billion of assets to secure approval from competition authorities for their tie-up. HeidelbergCement's stated priority is debt reduction but the German firm may seize