CCI decision on Lafarge and Holcim merger due ‘within a month’

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) will soon decide on the proposed merger between Lafarge and Holcim, the Economic Times (India) cited CCI chairman, Ashok Chawla, as saying. "The final order on the case should be out within a month," Mr Chawla said.

In December the cement producers said in India, both companies “are well on track” in preparing the merger with the future structure for this part of the world.

Sources told the ET that the CCI is likely to prescribe a structural remedy to approve the merger which usuall involves companies divesting in certain assets to reduce the impact of the merger.

In their joint filing to CCI, Lafarge and Holcim had said that they would continue to face aggressive competition from Indian cement makers such as UltraTech, Shree Cement and Jaypee at a pan-India level.