Holcim and Lafarge receive European Commission’s approval for CRH as buyer of divestment assets

Lafarge and Holcim today received from the European Commission the approval of CRH as a suitable purchaser of the assets to be divested by both companies in the EU (see appendix).

Additionally, CRH has also received from the European Commission the clearance for the acquisition of these assets.

These divestments remain subject to the completion of the merger, including a successful public exchange offering to Lafarge's shareholders and approval by Holcim's shareholders.

The divestment process will be carried out in the framework of the relevant social processes and the ongoing dialogue with the employee representatives' bodies.

These approvals are another important step on the way to creating the most advanced company in the building materials industry.

APPENDIX

The two companies are divesting the following assets in the EU to CRH:

• France: in metropolitan France, all of Holcim's assets, except for its Altkirch cement plant and aggregates and ready-mix sites in the Haut-Rhin region, and a grinding station of Lafarge in Saint-Nazaire; Lafarge's assets on Reunion island, except for its shareholding in Ciments de Bourbon
• Germany: Lafarge's assets
• Hungary: Holcim's operating assets
• Romania: Lafarge's assets
• Slovakia: Holcim's assets
• United Kingdom: Lafarge Tarmac assets with the exception of its Cauldon and Cookstown plants and certain associated assets

About Holcim

Holcim is a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of cement and aggregates (crushed stone, gravel, and sand), as well as other activities, including ready-mix concrete, asphalt, and associated services. The company holds majority and minority shareholdings in some 70 countries and on every continent. In 2014, Holcim recorded net sales of over 19.1 billion Swiss francs. Thanks to our market-oriented structures, product innovations, skilled employees and efficient environmental management systems, Holcim is in a strong position now - and for years.
Des informations plus complètes sur Holcim peuvent être obtenues sur son site internet : www.holcim.com

About Lafarge

A world leader in building materials, Lafarge employs 63,000 people in 61 countries, and posted sales of €12.8 billion in 2014. As a top-ranking player in its Cement, Aggregates and Concrete businesses, it contributes to the construction of cities around the world, through its innovative solutions providing them with more housing and making them more compact, more durable, more beautiful, and better connected. With the world's leading building materials research facility, Lafarge places innovation at the heart of its priorities in order to contribute to more sustainable construction and to better serve architectural creativity. 

Important information

This communication does not constitute an offer to purchase or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange any securities of Lafarge or an offer to sell or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange any securities of Holcim. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of Lafarge or Holcim.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking information and statements about Holcim, Lafarge and their combined businesses after completion of the proposed transaction that have not been audited or independently verified. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations. Although the managements of Holcim and Lafarge believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of Holcim and Lafarge shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Holcim and Lafarge, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. The combined group may not realize the full benefits of the transaction.