Holcim and Lafarge announce assets for sale

The largest disposals are planned for Europe, where both companies have a substantial presence, and include most of Holcim’s French businesses, all of Lafarge’s German activities, and the majority of Lafarge’s UK footprint, which is through the Lafarge Tarmac joint venture. In addition to disposals in these three major markets, a Lafarge cement plant in Austria and the company’s assets in Romania will go up for sale as well as Holcim businesses in Hungary and Serbia.

A joint statement from the two companies said, “The future LafargeHolcim group will have a significant and balanced industrial base in Europe – around 20% of its revenues – within its overall global footprint, enabling it to take advantage of the European economic recovery.”

Outside Europe, Holcim’s assets in Canada and Mauritius will also go up for sale. In the Philippines, the two companies are looking at combining their businesses with some divestments. Meanwhile in Brazil, Holcim and Lafarge said they would put a proposal to the regulator, Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE). The situation here is more complex due to a set of fines and forced divestments previously announced by CADE to address alleged market abuses.

Holcim and Lafarge have not publicly put a price on the businesses for sale or made any comment about the level of interest from potential buyers. However, there have been press reports that several prominent private equity companies have expressed an interest with prices quoted in the region of US$ 5 billion.