Lafarge

摘要

A series of key acquisitions stretching back to 1999 have transformed Lafarge from a French industrial group to the world's biggest producer of cement. In January the Paris-based company completed the purchase of the cement unit of Egyptian building products manufacturer Orascom Construction Industries for €8.8 billion ($12.9 billion). The deal gives Lafarge access not only to new markets in the Middle East but also to a new major shareholder: Nassef Sawiris. OCI's chief executive officer and majority shareholder. Sawiris received 22.5 million new shares of Lafarge, which he agreed to hold for ten years. He now holds 11.4 percent of the French company. Sawiris and three representatives of Lafarge's other major shareholder, Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (which holds 18.7 percent), were awarded seats on Lafarge's board of directors in December and will exert direct influence on company strategy.