Corporate focus-Lafarge

摘要

Lafarge is the oldest of the world's big three cement companies, founded in 1833 by Jean-Auguste Pavin de Lafarge in the Rhone valley in France. Initially making a name for itself as a supplier of high quality limestone, the company has expanded massively over the past 177 years to be 'the number one in cement.' Lafarge developed significantly when Jean-Auguste's sons expanded the family business throughout the 1840-50s. In 1864 they secured the 'deal of the cen-tury', supplying 100,000t of hydraulic cement for the construction of the Suez canal. By the time the canal was inaugurated in 1869, Lafarge had only 20 kilns to its name and was able to produce a total of just 0.05Mt/yr - next to nothing in modern terms. By making a long list of acquisitions, Lafarge became the largest cement manufacturer in France by the 1930 s.