Powtech Technopharm - Your Destination for Processing Technology - 29 - 25.9.2025 Nuremberg, Germany - Learn More
Powtech Technopharm - Your Destination for Processing Technology - 29 - 25.9.2025 Nuremberg, Germany - Learn More
Global Cement
Online condition monitoring experts for proactive and predictive maintenance - DALOG
  • Home
  • News
  • Conferences
  • Magazine
  • Directory
  • Reports
  • Members
  • Live
  • Login
  • Advertise
  • Knowledge Base
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Trial subscription
  • Contact
News GCW146

Displaying items by tag: GCW146

Subscribe to this RSS feed

LafargeHolcim: everyone expects the Spanish acquisition

16 April 2014

A lot has happened since the 4 April 2014 announcement that Lafarge and Holcim intend to become LafargeHolcim. There have been several related announcements from around the global cement industry this week, prompting some interesting discussion with respect to the future look of the industry.

Oyak Group, which operates a number of plants in Turkey, appears to be limbering up for LafargeHolcim-based acquisitions in the UK, the EU or Africa, with aims to become a regional player. Meanwhile, Lafarge has pulled out of talks regarding its proposed acquisition of the Cementos Portland Valderrivas (CPV) plant in Vallcarca, Spain, directly citing the merger as the reason for this. We have also seen Colombia's Cementos Argos purchase a grinding plant in French Guiana, which was jointly-owned by Lafarge and Holcim. Announced just a few days after the merger, this asset was presumably jettisoned in order to avoid future issues with local anti-monopoly authorities. Finally, ACC and Ambuja have announced that they would retain their separate identities in India after the merger.

This flurry of announcements is likely to be just the start of frenzied speculation as the competitors of Lafarge and Holcim work out what assets are most likely to be sold. So what about the multinationals, Cemex and HeidelbergCement?

Cemex certainly has cause for concern, weighed down by the debt that it took on in 2007 with the acquisition of Australia's Rinker. It is in a relatively weak position with respect to acquiring any LafargeHolcim divestments. Could it lose market share? HeidelbergCement, by contrast, has long extoled the virtues of its financial efficiency policies and its diverse and forward-looking geographical spread. It could snap up more strategic assets after the merger. While both of these multinationals will be wary of dealing with an enlarged competitor in LafargeHolcim, they have the opportunity to increase their market shares and both will move up one position in the global cement producer rankings.

It is likely to be the smaller players that have the most to gain from the shedding of LafargeHolcim's various assets, especially those that enjoy strong domestic markets and have cash at the ready. Oyak Group has already entered the ring but what if Nigeria's Dangote, Brazil's Votorantim, Colombia's Cementos Argos or Thailand's SCG go on a spending spree? Could one of these rise to become a new global cement multinational?

However, if we can expect a change anywhere it will be in Spain. Following reports in 2012 that Spanish cement production had crashed to its lowest levels since the 1960s jobs have been shed and profits have evaporated. In 2013 Holcim and Cemex agreed to combine all of their operations in Spain. Roughly, according to the Global Cement Directory 2014, cement production capacity in Spain breaks down as follows: CPV (23%), Cemex (18%), Lafarge (11%) and Holcim (10%). Letting the Cemex-Holcim deal happen, followed by the Lafarge-Holcim merger and the CPV Vallcarca purchase, would have led to a major headache for Spain's competition authorities, creating an entity with 43% production market share! Unsurprisingly the first casualty has been the CPV Vallcarca deal. Whatever happens, the next 18 months will be an interesting period for the global cement industry.

Published in Analysis
Read more...

Papadopoulos announces retirement from Titan America

16 April 2014

US: Titan Group has announced that after 20 years at the helm of Titan America, Aris Papadopoulos will retire from the position of CEO, effective 1 August 2014. According to a release, he will become Executive Chairman of ST Equipment & Technologies (STET), reporting to the Group CEO and also serve as an advisor.

The company noted that, commencing with a 1994 joint venture with Roanoke Cement, Papadopoulos led Titan America through a growth trajectory that included the acquisition of Tarmac America and Separation Technologies, modernising the company's two cement plants, numerous operational expansions and multiple concrete acquisitions.

"During Aris' tenure, Titan America grew from a cement joint-venture in Roanoke, Virginia, to the pre-eminent East Coast construction materials producer," said Dimitri Papalexopoulos, CEO of Titan Group. "Aris, more than anyone else, has shaped Titan America over two decades."

Bill Zarkalis, Group CFO since 2010, will succeed Papadopoulos. Zarkalis joined the Group in 2008 as Director of Business Development. He previously held executive positions at Dow Chemical. As CEO-designate, he will work closely with Papadopoulos to ensure a smooth transition. Michael Colakides will become Group CFO, effective 16 May 2014. Colakides recently returned to the Group as Senior Strategy Advisor after more than a decade in several banking industry executive roles.

Published in People
Read more...

Hilal Cement appoints new board member

16 April 2014

Kuwait: Hilal Cement Company has appointed Muhammad Muhtashem Khan as a board member, effective 10 April 2014. He replaces Yan Mahdi Baqi.

Published in People
Read more...
Loesche - Innovative Engineering
PrimeTracker - The first conveyor belt tracking assistant with 360° rotation - ScrapeTec
UNITECR Cancun 2025 - JW Marriott Cancun - October 27 - 30, 2025, Cancun Mexico - Register Now
Acquisition carbon capture Cemex China CO2 concrete coronavirus data decarbonisation Emissions Export Germany Government grinding plant Holcim Import India Investment LafargeHolcim market Pakistan Plant Product Production Results Sales Sustainability UK Upgrade US
« August 2025 »
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
        1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31



Sign up for FREE to Global Cement Weekly
Global Cement LinkedIn
Global Cement Facebook
Global Cement X
  • Home
  • News
  • Conferences
  • Magazine
  • Directory
  • Reports
  • Members
  • Live
  • Login
  • Advertise
  • Knowledge Base
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Trial subscription
  • Contact
  • CemFuels Asia
  • Global CemBoards
  • Global CemCCUS
  • Global CementAI
  • Global CemFuels
  • Global Concrete
  • Global FutureCem
  • Global Gypsum
  • Global GypSupply
  • Global Insulation
  • Global Slag
  • Latest issue
  • Articles
  • Editorial programme
  • Contributors
  • Back issues
  • Subscribe
  • Photography
  • Register for free copies
  • The Last Word
  • Global Gypsum
  • Global Slag
  • Global CemFuels
  • Global Concrete
  • Global Insulation
  • Pro Global Media
  • PRoIDS Online
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • X

© 2025 Pro Global Media Ltd. All rights reserved.