bags of Lafarge cement

Lafarge is a French industrial company specialising in four major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard. In 2010 the company was the world's second-largest cement manufacturer by mass shipped behind Holcim.^[2]

History[link]

Lafarge was founded in 1833^[3] by Joseph-Auguste Pavin de Lafarge in Le Teil (Ardèche), to exploit the limestone quarry in Mont Saint-Victor between Le Teil and Viviers. The limestone is white and argillaceous, and yielded an eminently hydraulic lime.

In 1864 Lafarge signed its first international contract for the delivery of 110,000 tonnes of lime to the Suez Canal construction project.^[3] It developed calcium aluminate cements. It was also an early pioneer in the production of white Portland cement, still made at the company's original Le Teil plant.

In 1919, a public company was formed, named "Société anonyme des chaux et ciments de Lafarge et du Teil."

In 1980, it joined with the Belgian coal, coke and fertilizer company Coppée to become SA Lafarge Coppée.

Lafarge purchased a plant from the National Gypsum Company in early-1987.^[4] Ten years later, it bought Redland plc, a leading British quarry operator.^[5]

In 1999, Lafarge acquired 100% shareholding in Hima Cement Limited, the second-largest cement manufacturer in Uganda, with installed capacity of 850,000 metric tonnes annually, as of January 2011.^[6]

In 2001, Lafarge, then the world's second largest cement manufacturer, acquired Blue Circle Industries (BCI), which at the time was the world's sixth largest cement manufacturer, to become the world leader in cement manufacturing.^[3]

In 2006, Lafarge North America shareholders accepted a $3 billion tender offer from Lafarge Group which gave the parent company full control over the North American business, removing LNA from the New York Stock Exchange. Previously the Group had owned 53% of LNA shares.^[7]

In 2007, it divested its roofing division, selling it to a private equity group in a deal that resulted in Lafarge retaining a 35% equity stake.^[3]

In December 2007, Lafarge announced the purchase of the Orascom Cement Group, an Egyptian based cement producer with operations across Africa and the Middle East, from Orascom Construction Industries (OCI).^[8]

On May 15, 2008 Lafarge acquired Larsen & Toubro Ready Mix-Concrete (RMC) business in India for $349 million.^[9]

In 2010, Lafarge strengthened its presence in Brazil (agreement with Votorantim^[10]) and in Central Europe (with STRABAG^[11]).

In 2011, Lafarge SA will build a cement plant in Langkat, North Sumatra, Indonesia with investment up to Rp.5 trillion ($585 million).^[12]

Lafarge launches three plants in Hungary, Syria and Nigeria and creates a joint-venture with Anglo American in the United Kingdom.

The Group sold most of its European, South American, Asian and Australian gypsum operations.^[13][14][15]

At the end of 2011, Lafarge announced its new organization project focused on its markets and its clients to accelerate the Group's development and profitability.^[16]

Environmental concerns[link]

On July 11, 2008, the Albany Times Union reported that Lafarge's Ravena, New York plant "was the greatest source of mercury emissions in New York from 2004 to 2006" ^[17] According to the story, plans have been made to upgrade the plant to reduce the mercury emissions. A second story, published the following day, stated that the factory had emitted 400 pounds (181 kg) of mercury annually from 2004 to 2006.^[18] In November 2010 Lafarge, together along with other companies, opposes new EPA regulations that require mercury-emissions reductions at cement plants.^[19] Preliminary data published by the EPA for the year 2009 showed 145 pounds of mercury were recorded for the Ravena plant (total on- and off-site disposals). The plant has continued to perform within permitted limits.^[20]

The partner of Lafarge in Luthuania is http://www.vedrana.lt

The Group[link]

The Group conduct its operations through more than 1,000 subsidiaries, out of which 82% are consolidated.

It has an organizational structure based on our three Divisions, with decentralized local operations and strong corporate expert departments, which are involved in strategic decisions.

• Cement: Lafarge has 160 plants in 50 countries
• Aggregates & Concrete: more than 1 700 production facilities and sales offices in 36 countries
• Gypsum : more than 70 plants in 30 countries ^[21]

The headquarter of the Group is based on Paris (France).

Management team[link]

On November Lafarge announces its new organization project focused on its markets and its clients, designed to accelerate the Group’s development and profitability. The product line-based organization will be replaced with a country-based organization. This will include the removal of a layer of management and the resulting reorganization of the executive committee. The Group's organization project will be implemented from January 2012.^[16]

• Bruno Lafont, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
• Jean-Carlos Angulo, Executive Vice-President Operations
• Jean Desazars de Montgailhard, Executive Vice-President Strategy, Development and Public Affairs
• Thomas Farrell, Executive Vice-President Operations
• Jean-Jacques Gauthier, Executive Vice-President Finance
• Christian Herrault, Executive Vice-President Operations
• Gérard Kuperfarb, Executive Vice-President Innovation
• Eric Olsen, Executive Vice-President Organization and Human Resources
• Alexandra Rocca, Senior Vice-President Group Communications
• Guillaume Roux, Executive Vice-President Performance

Board of Directors[link]

The board of Directors of Lafarge has 17 members and appointed by the Annual Shareholders' Meeting for a period of 4 years. On November 3^[22] :

• Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: Bruno Lafont
• Independent Director non-executive Vice-Chairman of the Board: Oscar Fanjul
• Directors: Bertrand Collomb (Honorary Chairman), Paul Desmarais (fils), Jérôme Guiraud, Thierry de Rudder, Nassef Sawiris, Véronique Weill, Ian Gallienne.
• Independent directors: Michel Bon, Philippe Charrier, Philippe Dauman, Juan Gallardo, Colette Lewiner, Hélène Ploix, Baudouin Prot, Michel Rollier.

Former members of the Board: Guilherme Frering, Raphaël de Lafarge, Michael Blakenham, Jean-Pierre Boisivon, Alain Joly, Bernard Kasriel, Jacques Lefèvre, Eric de Waubert de Genlis, Michel Pébereau, Pierre de Lafarge, Gérald Frère.

Financial data[link]

The following is a summary of data:^[1][23][24]

See also[link]

Companies portal

Main Lafarge competitors are:

• Holcim
• Cemex
• HeidelbergCement
• Italcementi

External links[link]

• Official website

References[link]

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