Six foreign groups have submitted bids for the acquisition of a 50.52 per cent interest in Tunisian cement producer Carthage Cement, according to Al Karama Holding, the company responsible for managing companies confiscated by the Tunisian state from the former regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Companies interested in purchasing the stake are Cementos Portland Valderrivas (Spain), Cemolins Internationacional SL (Spain), Omnium des Industries et de la Promotion (Morocco), Eurocem (Malta) as well as consortia consisting of Companhia General de Cal and Cemento – SECIL (Portugal)-Gabes Cement Co (Tunisia), and Asamer Kurt-Petech (Austria) and Melton Entreprise (Cyprus).

Carthage Cement operates 2.2Mta of cement capacity and has a market share of 20 per cent in Tunisia.