Lafarge cement sales up 8% in Q1

Company representatives said the percentage in advance of sales was similar to Q1 2007. “We do not have official data yet, but it looks like we had a zero increase compared to 2007. The demand is still high, even if prices rose. We must not forget that 2007 was a special year, when cement sales increased by 50 percent in the first semester,” said General Manager Philippe Platon.

In Central and Eastern Europe, Lafarge sales advanced 35.3 percent, and total income 31 percent, to €381 million. Also, operational profit soared by 97 percent in Q1, to €75 mln.

Lafarge has been present on the Romanian market since 1997. The company’s activities were reorganized in three divisions: cement producer Lafarge Ciment, with three factories, aggregates and concrete producer Lafarge Agregate si Betoane, and plaster producer Lafarge Arcom Gips.

The company estimates a 20 percent rise in turnover in 2008. The spectacular development of the Romanian construction market has boosted Lafarge cement sales, which reached a record 47 percent growth rhythm. Turnover exceeded €340 million.