ZF English

HeidelbergCement turnover to exceed 200m euros

31.01.2006, 20:24 54

The business of the domestic unit of the German construction materials group HeidelbergCement surged by 22% in 2005, boosted by the rising demand for cement.

"This year, we estimate growth of about 6-7% from 2005, for each of our three divisions: cement, aggregates and concrete. This is due to the growth of the overall cement market, put at about 7%, and to the expansion of the concrete-mixing stations network the company plans for this year," Mihai Rohan, general manager of Carpatcement Holding, told ZIARUL FINANCIAR.

In 2005, the turnover obtained by the German group across all its units, Carpat Cement Holding, Carpat Beton and Carpat Agregate, reached around 194 million euros, 22% higher year-on-year, in line with preliminary figures presented by the company.

"Works initiated following the floods led to higher cement consumption last year, and the cement market increased by about 8%. Furthermore, the favourable weather conditions towards the end of the year made it possible for construction works to be carried out in December, as well," Rohan explained.

The investments HeidelbergCement has earmarked for 2006 amount to 25 million euros and will focus on installations using alternative fuel, the modernisation of the Fieni-based plant and tighter environmental protection measures in the three plants the German group holds in Romania: Fieni, Deva and Bicaz. The German group operates in the domain of cement, concrete and aggregate production in Romania, through Carpatcement Holding, Carpat Beton and Carpat Agregate companies. The company owns 12 concrete-mixing stations: in Timisoara, Ploiesti, Iasi, Brasov, Pitesti, Bacau, Oradea, Suceava, with three of them located in Bucharest.

The German construction materials producer entered Romania in 1998 and has so far made investments standing at around 260-270 million euros, according to the latest available data.

The German investor started its acquisitions in Romania with its takeover of the Bicaz-based cement plant, followed by Casial Deva in 2000 (sold by the Austrian firm Lasselsberger) and the plant in Fieni in the autumn of 2002 (bought from Tagrimpex).

On the cement market, estimated at over 300 million euros in 2004, HeidelbergCement is in tight competition with Lafarge (France) and Holcim (Switzerland), each holding about a third of the market. Each of the three producers owns three cement plants.

Last year, the group made investments worth 15 million euros, across its three divisions, cement, concrete and aggregates, a figure standing at below the value reached in the previous year, namely 20 million euros.

Most of this money was used for the modernisation of cement plants and environmental protection, as well as for the opening of some new concrete-mixing stations. catalin.lupoaie@zf.ro

Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels

AFACERI DE LA ZERO