Displaying items by tag: Acquisition

Germany: Beumer has announced its acquisition of conveying systems supplier FAM Group. The group says that the two companies complement each other ‘ideally.’ FAM Group employs 750 people in Germany, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China and India, as well as representatives elsewhere. Beumer says that the company’s ‘leading technology’ for transporting and processing minerals fits well with its own portfolio.

India: Adani Group and JSW Group have submitted their non-binding bids to Holcim for acquisition of its subsidiary Ambuja Cements. The Business Standard newspaper has reported that Aditya Birla subsidiary UltraTech is also preparing a bid. A deal with UltraTech Cement would delay closure due to the Competition Commission of India approval process it entails. Holcim previously indicated that it would like to conclude the deal early.

Adani Group would finance any acquisition with a combination of its own cash and that from Gulf-based sovereign funds, while JSW Group would engage private equity.

India: Adani Group has reportedly entered an advanced stage of discussions with Holcim over its possible acquisition of the latter's Indian cement operations. The Times of India newspaper has reported that Holcim subsidiaries Ambuja Cements and ACC together have a cement production capacity of 64Mt/yr. The value of their assets has a market cap of US$15.7bn.

Spain: Cementos Molins recorded first-quarter consolidated sales of Euro274m in 2022, up by 23% year-on-year from first-quarter 2021 levels. The group's net profit for the period fell by 34% year-on-year to Euro22m. It attributed this to material, power and transport costs inflation. During the quarter, Cementos Molins acquired Hanson Hispania's Catalonian ready-mix concrete and aggregates operations. It says that its 0.8x debt-to-earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) ratio positions it well to continue with the execution of its Strategic Plan 2020-2023.

Chief executive officer (CEO) Julio Rodríguez said “The year 2022 has an uncertain and highly complex global environment, in which the war in Ukraine and its global effects are added to the previously existing problems of costs inflation and supply chain disruptions. Despite this complex environment, we expect to continue in 2022 the path of solid results achieved in previous years."

Zimbabwe: UK-based Associated International Cement Limited (ACIL) has reportedly rejected an offer for its 76% stake in Lafarge Zimbabwe. Lafarge Zimbabwe company secretary Faithful Sithole said that the parent company is still assessing offers received for the stake. The NewZimbabwe newspaper has reported that the declined offer may have come from China-based Huaxin Cement.

UAE: UltraTech Cement subsidiary UltraTech Cement Middle East Investments has newly acquired 29% of the equity share capital of RAK White Cement. The acquisition brings its total stake in the producer to 30%.

Ireland: CRH’s first-quarter consolidated sales rose by 15% year-on-year in 2022. Its Americas Materials business’ sales rose by 13%, while its Europe Materials business sales rose by 11%. Cement volumes in the Americas region remained in line with 2021 levels as strong Central and Southern regional demand offset weather-impacted performances in Canada and some Western regions, and the company noted ‘good’ price momentum in Canada and the US. The company’s Europe Materials business recorded some volume increases, partly due to favourable weather conditions.

During the quarter, CRH made US$600m-worth of new acquisitions, and retains a ‘strong’ opportunities pipeline. The group says that its integrated solutions strategy continues to deliver across all divisions.

Chief executive officer Albert Manifold said “Although a number of challenges and uncertainties continue, our demand backdrop remains favourable and, absent any major dislocations in the macroeconomic environment, we expect first-half sales, earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and margin to be ahead of the prior year period.” During the first half of 2022, the company also expects to complete US$600m-worth of its on-going share buyback programme.

Egypt: Mondi has acquired the paper bag converting lines from National Bag and Egypt Sack, two subsidiaries of Lafarge Cement Egypt, for an undisclosed sum. The production lines will increase Mondi’s capacity by around 150 – 180m bags/yr and strengthen its position in the Egyptian paper bag market. Local subsidiary Mondi Paper Bags already operates two plants in Egypt and with this acquisition will become a key supplier of paper bags to Lafarge Cement Egypt.

Claudio Fedalto, the chief operating officer of Mondi Paper Bags, said “We are excited to have signed a long-term supply agreement with Lafarge Cement Egypt and to servicing them locally in Egypt. The collaboration will offer Lafarge access to our latest innovations, industry expertise, strong plant network and customer service.”

India: Shree Digvijay Cement has executed a share purchase agreement to acquire a 27% stake in a hybrid wind and solar power project from Trinethra Renewable Energy, a power producer, and Continuum Green Energy. It will spend US$1m on the deal, implying a value of US$0.13m/MW. The total installed capacity of the project is 8.1MW.

The hybrid power contract will generate about 37% of total power needed by the plant. When combined with the plant’s waste heat recovery (WHR) system, it will constitute over 65% of the total power needs of the company, representing considerable savings in the cost of power and an improved environment footprint.

Russia: Akkermann Cement, a subsidiary of USM Holding, has acquired Kaluzhsky Tsementny Zavod (Kaluga Cement Plant) for US$111m from state development corporation VEB.RF. VEB.RF provided a loan for construction of the plant in 2011 but the borrower was acknowledged bankrupt in 2018, according to Prime News. The plant is not yet fully built, but it is anticipated that the 3.5Mt/yr facility will create 400 jobs when commissioned.

“The asset is good,” said Akkermann Cement’s managing director Alexander Ivanov. “The dry process is one of the most efficient and budget-friendly technologies for production of cement, but the conclusion of the plant’s construction will need additional investment.”