Lafarge, Holcim to Sell Assets to Address Competition Concerns

French cement giant Lafarge SA and Swiss rival Holcim Ltd. have agreed to sell several plants, terminals and a quarry to resolve regulatory competitive concerns over their $25 billion merger, the Federal Trade Commission said Monday.

The combined company would be the world's largest cement manufacturer.

European regulators cleared the way for the merger in December, subject to a series of asset sales.

Under the FTC approval, Lafarge is to sell to Continental Cement Co. its Davenport cement plant and quarry in Buffalo, Iowa.

It will also sell its cement terminals and other distribution assets in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; La Crosse, Wisc.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Convent and New Orleans, La.

Holcim will sell to Eagle Materials Inc. its Skyway slag cement plant in Chicago; to Essroc Cement Corp. its slag cement plant in Camden, N.J. and its terminal near Boston.

Holcim will also sell to Buzzi Unicem USA its cement terminals in Grandville and Elmira, Mich. and Rock Island, Ill.; and to a buyer or buyers to be approved by the FTC its Trident, Mont. cement plant and two related terminals in Alberta, Canada; and its Mississauga cement plant in Ontario, Canada and related cement terminals in Duluth, Minn.; Detroit and Dundee, Mich.; Cleveland; and Buffalo, N.Y.

Lafarge and Holcim's shareholders are scheduled to vote on the merger on May 8.

Write to Maria Armental at [e-mail]

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