Colombia/Brazil: Colombia's Cementos Argos, part of Grupo Argos, is reportedly assessing assets worth US$1bn that Lafarge and Holcim will be forced to sell in Brazil as part of their planned merger.
Argos, which is working closely with Banco Itau BBA in terms of potential Lafarge-Holcim acquisition deals in Brazil, aims to grow organically and via acquisitions across the Americas. The firm wants to have a presence in markets where there is potential for cement consumption per capita to grow. Cementos Argos already operates nine cement plants in Colombia, three in the United States and one in Honduras.