Lafarge Africa Plc Merge With Swiss Company Holcim To Form LafargeHolcim Group

 

The company formerly known as LAFARGE Africa plc., successfully completed a $40 billion merger with HOLCIM.

 

The successful completion of the merger between Lafarge Group of France and Swiss company Holcim, gave rise to the new Group; LafargeHolcim.

 

The new group, LafargeHolcim will now work towards creating the highest performing company in the building materials industry.

 

LafargeHolcim is the industry benchmark in R&D and serves from the individual homebuilder to the largest and most complex project with the widest range of value-adding products, innovative services and comprehensive building solutions.

 

With a commitment to drive sustainable solutions for better building, infrastructure and to contribute to a higher quality of life, the Group is best positioned to meet the challenges of increasing urbanisation.

 

The merger will have a positive impact on the on-going consolidation of the Nigeria operations under Lafarge Africa Plc. stated Mr Guillaume Roux, the outgoing Country CEO for Nigeria.

 

He stated this at a media briefing at Lafarge Africa Plc., corporate head office in Ikoyi, Lagos, recently.

 

Roux stated that operations under Lafarge Africa Plc., as United Cement Company of Nigeria (UniCem), which is a Joint Venture between Lafarge and Holcim in Cross River State, would now join the other operations.

 

The other operations include; AshakaCem in Gombe, Atlas terminal in Rivers State, WAPCO Operations in Ogun State, as well as its Aggregates and Ready-mix sites across the country as a member of LafargeHolcim in Nigeria, he said.

 

Peter Hoddinott, the new Area Manager, Nigeria & West Africa stated that the union of the world’s two biggest building materials companies marks a milestone in the company’s commitment to providing the best cement, concrete and aggregates products to Nigerians.

 

He affirmed that the company which will still be known in Nigeria as Lafarge Africa Plc. would continue to play a key role in the economic development of Nigeria.

 

This can be achieved by leveraging on LafargeHolcim Group’s combined technical excellence and years of operation for the continuous production of building solutions that are best in quality, innovative, available and affordable, he said.

 

Declaring the ambition of the global union, Hoddinott said “We aim to be the best in our sector through excellence in Health and Safety, which is our overarching value, quality, customer service, community relations and overall enhanced value to our stakeholders.”

 

He stated that the union would create a stronger company that is able to make more solid investment in Nigeria and be better able to assist in delivering more affordable housing as well as support for socio-economic progress through CSR activities.

 

He said LafargeHolcim merger has created the most advanced building materials company in the world, with experience of over 180 years in the cement, concrete and aggregates sectors.

 

He stated that this new Group, LafargeHolcim comprises over 115,000 employees and operates in 90 countries around the world.

“LafargeHolcim products are backed by the most sophisticated Research and Development capability in the industry with the largest cement technical centre employing more than 1,100 researchers,” he said.

 

Hoddinott further used the occasion of the media briefing to acknowledge the leadership role of his predecessor and former Group MD/CEO, Mr. Guillaume Roux over the last two years in transforming Lafarge Africa Plc. into a consolidated entity with a positive impact for its stakeholders.

 

Credit: thisdaylive.com