Vicat has invested Euro 51m in the course of a two-year period, in the
modernisation of its production site in Montalieu in the Isere department of
France. In the last stage of the investment programme, a conveyor is
reported to have been installed between the Enieu quarry and the production
site to take the place of road transport, along with a unit for
prehomogenisation of marl with storage capacity of 30,000 tonnes. New
clinker production lines will, in two stages, increase daily capacity from
3500tpd to 4,500tpd.

The modernisation of the French site forms part of a broader programme
involving investments of 1bn euros planned between the present date and
2010, both at home and abroad. Management is aiming for expansion
in Asia, India, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.