French group Lafarge reported a 37.4 percent growth in cement sales volume in Romania, in the first quarter of 2014, according to a company report. Of the 24 markets the group operates on, only Poland posted a higher growth, of almost 50 percent, the report shows.

“In Romania, cement volumes strongly increased, supported by several projects started earlier due to favorable weather”, the company’s representatives explained.

Lafarge is one of the “Big Three” cement producers on the Romanian market, where it competes with German group HeidelbergCement and Swiss group Holcim. Recently, Lafarge and Holcim announced that they want to merge their global operations, but in order to get the approval of the competition authorities they will have to dispose of some assets, including in Romania, where the two groups hold over 60 percent of the cement market.

Globally, Lafarge’s cement sales volumes were up 8 percent in the first quarter, but sales value decreased by 2 percent, to EUR 2.63 billion. The company posted losses of EUR 135 million.

Andrei Chirileasa, andrei@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Lafarge; Photograph: Cristian Tanase)