Holcim considers new cement plant

Switzerland’s Holcim group, which owns 3 domestic cement plants in Alesd, Turda and Campulung, is considering building another plant in Romania, as cement consumption could exceed production for the first time next year. The investment, which Markus Wirth, the general manager of Holcim Romania, puts at 200-300m euros, may be the first greenfield investment made by a foreign cement producer on the domestic market and would be Romania’s tenth cement plant. Swiss-based Holcim has been one of the most aggressive investors on the cement market and is set to carry out an investment programme worth 180m euros over the next three years, to modernise and increase production capacities. Holcim has the advantage of owning enough land to expand its plants in Alesd and Turda. In addition, the facility in Campulung, which is currently expanding its production, will operate at full capacity by next year, which will allow the company to aggressively tap into the Bucharest market.