Lafarge and Strabag merge cement activities

French construction materials company 725 Lafarge has merged its Central European cement activities with 3669 Strabag, a leading Central and Eastern Europe construction group.

The activity will be managed by the newly created Lafarge Cement CE Holding with headquarters in Austria and an annual production capacity of 4.8million tonnes. Lafarge will hold 70% of the new company and Strabag will hold 30%.

With this new operation, Lafarge will see its debt reduced by E7.5million. Strabag will contribute cement from its works in Pécs, Hungary, which is under construction. Lafarge will contribute cement from its Austrian works in Mannersdorf and Retznei; its Slovenian works in Trbovlje and its works in Cížkovice, Czech Republic. All cement manufactured will be sold under the Lafarge name.