Irish cement and construction materials group CRH plans to continue its expansion in Switzerland via acquisitions. However: "The expansion opportunities are limited due to the strong market position of Holcim", CRH CEO Liam O’Mahony said on June 6, 2005 in an interview with the Swiss Finanz und Wirtschaft (FuW) business newspaper.
CRH has been growing steadily in Switzerland since 2000. The company has acquired local businesses Jura-Holding, Baubedarf and Hastag and currently has a staff of 1500 in the country. The Swiss unit of the group reports SwFr700m in annual sales. O’Mahony also said Holcim was getting closer to CRH in terms of its business model. The Swiss company focuses increasingly on ready-mixed concrete and aggregates, whereas in the past its core business was the cement production, he said.
