The volume of the total lime market is estimated at 1.5 mln tons this year, with Carmeuse claiming a 36.7 percent market share. “I believe we will maintain the same market share this year or there could be a slight increase compared to last year,” Carmeuse Central Europe’s Management Board member, Jan Van der Ven, told Business Standard.
“The lime market will increase in the next few years. Compared to other states in the European Union, Romania has a superior growth potential for this product," said Van der Ven.
The entire market of construction materials is valuated at some €4 billion, or one third of the construction market.
Carmeuse has invested €40 mln in Romania since it entered the market, and €27 mln was used for acquisitions on this market.
The company's main competitors on the domestic market are Prescon, owned by businessman Ioan Niculae, Oradea-based group of companies Simcor, Celco Constanta, and industrial producers that manufacture to meet their own needs, with a combined market share of 40 percent. The captive producers with the largest lime consumption are COS Targoviste, Ispat Sidex, UPSOM Ocna Mures, and Carbid Fox Tarnaveni.
Carmeuse came to Romania in 1999, entering the domestic market following the acquisition of Cedru Melon in Campulung, where the main investments were made this year. The group owns four lime factories in Romania, in Fieni, Deva, Brasov, and Campulung, three of which were acquired from German group Heidelberg Cement.
Carmeuse has operations in 70 countries in Western and Eastern Europe, North America, and Africa. In 2006, the group's net total turnover worldwide amounted to €940 mln.
