Bruno Lafont, managing director of Lafarge, the French building materials group, has said that it is interested in consolidating its position in mature markets such as North America as well as continuing to develop in emerging countries. Mr Lafont goes on to say that Lafarge has significant development potential in North America, particularly in the still-fragmented aggregates sector and the concrete industry, where demand is still strong.
Similarly, Philippe Rollier, head of Lafarge North America, points out that there are still acquisition opportunities in the US, despite the fact that the six biggest cement groups in that country control, between them, 60 per cent of the market. Last year, North America generated 27 per cent of Lafarge’s turnover. (original report abstracted from Le Figaro).
