HeidelbergCement
Encyclopedia
HeidelbergCement is a German cement
and building materials company. It is currently (as of 2010) the world's third largest cement producer, the market leader in aggregates
and fourth in ready-mix concrete
. In 2010 the company produced around 78 million tonnes of cement. The company employs some 53,000 people at 2,500 locations in more than 40 countries with an annual turnover of approximately EUR 11 billion.
, Baden-Württemberg
, Germany
. It was making 80,000 tonnes per annum of Portland cement
in 1896. Numerous other small companies were taken over from 1914 onwards, and by 1936 it was making one million tonnes per annum. Activities abroad began with the acquisition of part of Vicat Cement, France
. Shipments reached 8.3 million tonnes in 1972. In 1977, a massive program of purchases in North America began with the acquisition of Lehigh Cement. In 1990, expansion in eastern Europe began. In 1993, it acquired part of SA Cimenteries CBR of Belgium
which already had a major multinational operation. Since then it has continued to expand, with complete buy-out of CBR, and purchases in eastern Europe and Asia. A major step was the acquisition of Scancem in 1999, with operations in Northern Europe as well as Africa. Indocement in Indonesia was included in 2001. In 2007 the British company Hanson was acquired, a transaction worth 7.85 million pounds (15,8 million $), which gave the company a stronger market position in UK and US, and turned HeidelbergCement into the world's leading producer of aggregates.
HeidelbergCement has (2010) 29 cement and grinding plants in Western and Northern Europe, 19 in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 16 cement plants in North America, 14 in Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. The company sold maxit Group and its 35% share in Vicat Cement
to help finance its acquisition of Hanson plc
in August 2007. In most of the Group’s European countries, HeidelbergCement is the market leader in the cement business.
Adolf Merckle
and his family were one of the largest investors in HeidelbergCement, until he committed suicide in January 2009.
. A capital increase in HeidelbergCement in September 2009, combined with a selling of shares from the Merckle family, opened up for other international owners and higher trading volumes on the stock exchanges.
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
and building materials company. It is currently (as of 2010) the world's third largest cement producer, the market leader in aggregates
Construction Aggregate
Construction aggregate, or simply "aggregate", is a broad category of coarse particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined material in the world...
and fourth in ready-mix concrete
Ready-mix concrete
Ready-mix concrete is a type of concrete that is manufactured in a factory or batching plant, according to a set recipe, and then delivered to a work site, by truck mounted transit mixers . This results in a precise mixture, allowing specialty concrete mixtures to be developed and implemented on...
. In 2010 the company produced around 78 million tonnes of cement. The company employs some 53,000 people at 2,500 locations in more than 40 countries with an annual turnover of approximately EUR 11 billion.
History
The company was founded on 5 June 1874 by Johann Philipp Schifferdecker, at HeidelbergHeidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It was making 80,000 tonnes per annum of Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
in 1896. Numerous other small companies were taken over from 1914 onwards, and by 1936 it was making one million tonnes per annum. Activities abroad began with the acquisition of part of Vicat Cement, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Shipments reached 8.3 million tonnes in 1972. In 1977, a massive program of purchases in North America began with the acquisition of Lehigh Cement. In 1990, expansion in eastern Europe began. In 1993, it acquired part of SA Cimenteries CBR of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
which already had a major multinational operation. Since then it has continued to expand, with complete buy-out of CBR, and purchases in eastern Europe and Asia. A major step was the acquisition of Scancem in 1999, with operations in Northern Europe as well as Africa. Indocement in Indonesia was included in 2001. In 2007 the British company Hanson was acquired, a transaction worth 7.85 million pounds (15,8 million $), which gave the company a stronger market position in UK and US, and turned HeidelbergCement into the world's leading producer of aggregates.
HeidelbergCement has (2010) 29 cement and grinding plants in Western and Northern Europe, 19 in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 16 cement plants in North America, 14 in Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. The company sold maxit Group and its 35% share in Vicat Cement
Vicat Cement
Vicat SA is a French company manufacturing cement, aggregates and ready-mix concrete in four continents.-History:The company was established in 1853 by Joseph Vicat , son of Louis Vicat, who invented artificial cement in 1817. His cement plant was at Genevrey-de-Vif south of Grenoble...
to help finance its acquisition of Hanson plc
Hanson plc
Hanson plc is a British based international building materials company, headquartered in Maidenhead. Traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index for many years, the company was acquired by a division of German rival Heidelberg Cement in August 2007.-History:Hanson...
in August 2007. In most of the Group’s European countries, HeidelbergCement is the market leader in the cement business.
Adolf Merckle
Adolf Merckle
Adolf Merckle was a businessman, and one of the richest people in Germany.Merckle was born in Dresden, Germany into a wealthy family. Most of his wealth came from inheritance. He developed his Bohemian grandfather's chemical wholesale company into Germany's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler,...
and his family were one of the largest investors in HeidelbergCement, until he committed suicide in January 2009.
. A capital increase in HeidelbergCement in September 2009, combined with a selling of shares from the Merckle family, opened up for other international owners and higher trading volumes on the stock exchanges.