Heidelberg Cement forces in the Congo
Asia and Latin America, Africa comes into focus some company. Heidelberg Cement has already ten works on the continent. After years of civil war, now pays the entry in the Congo. Heimo Fischer Stuttgart
The building materials group HeidelbergCement enters after a long dry spell again to expand. The company buys from the mining company Forrest three cement plants in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and thus takes a new growth market to target. About the price was not disclosed. I understand that he is in the mid double-digit million range.
Heidelberg Cement was up last year to the company group of the late billionaire Adolf Merckle. By a costly takeover of British rival Hanson and the turbulence in the Merckle Group came to the roll. Meanwhile, a new financing for the next few years. Merckle is also only a minority shareholder of the company.
The expansion in Africa highlights a new trend for investors. After growth in Asia and South America has picked up speed, they seek opportunities to approve entry into promising regions.
For the cement industry in Africa is a good chance. Transport and buildings are in poor condition, the pent-up demand is enormous. In parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, relaxed the situation after the civil war of recent years. For 2010, the IMF expects a growth there of 5.4 percent, to 2012 an average increase of 6.5 percent per year. "It makes sense to invest in this market," said analyst Marc Gabriel from Bank lamp.
The Heidelberg Group will triple the capacity of its three new cement plants, currently more than 500,000 tons short. The sites are to be operated jointly with the former owners Forrest, who remains a minority shareholder. In Africa, one-established partner with good contacts in the country is important. New investors often have to buy their bonds on bribes.
The cement plants are located far from the regions, which still prevail in unrest. One sits in the vicinity of the capital Kinshasa and has substantial limestone deposits. In the cement industry is important because the raw materials are heavy and transport expensive.
Heidelberg Cement is next to the French rivals Lafarge one of the few companies in the industry, the significant business south of the Sahara have. In seven countries, the company owns a total of ten works. That in Ghana, Tanzania, Benin and Togo.
In order to open more doors on the continent, the company made a pact with the World Bank. Its investment arm IFC has been involved recently with six percent of the African business of Heidelberg Cement, which is a deposit of up to 180 million dollars. The operational control remains entirely with the German group. The backing of the World Bank, however, is an important signal.