LAFARGE BRAAS
Strategic reorientation: Lafarge Braas Roofing / Uncertain future for flat roofs
Under its new name of Lafarge Braas GmbH (Frankfurter Landstr. 2-4, D-61437 Oberursel), the former Redland Braas Building Group is on course for expansion. With its acquisition of the British Redland plc (GB-Reigate) in December 1997 (see Plasteurope.com 23, 1997 "Pointers"), the French Lafarge construction company (F-75782 Paris Cedex 16) took over a majority holding (56.5%) in the group. Lafarge is regarded as one of the world's leading manufacturers of construction materials.
Lafarge Braas Roofing's worldwide operations take in not only Lafarge Braas GmbH but also the Lafarge Group's roofing material companies located outside of Europe – the latter with a business volume of some DEM 0.8bn. Both are pooled under a single management, with headquarters in Oberursel, which holds global responsibility.
As Berndt-Michael Winter, commercial director of Lafarge Braas, explained to journalists, the company further expanded its international position as a leading supplier of roof construction materials and chimney systems in 1997. Lafarge Braas GmbH increased sales by 3.2% to DEM 2.79m last year. The 3.4% drop in sales in Germany, brought about by the economic decline in the construction industry, was compensated by growth abroad. The Sloping Roof Division (roofing tiles) accounted for the biggest share of sales, at DEM 2.15bn. The operating result prior to extraordinary expenditure fell 5.4% to DEM 437.3m. According to Winter, this was due primarily to the operative losses of the roof window business at Braas Tageslichtsysteme GmbH, which was sold at the end of 1997.
No clear details were given on the future of the Flat Roof Division at the balance-sheet press conference in Frankfurt. In 1997, an overall business volume of DEM 175.8m (+5.3%) was achieved with high-polymer and plastic-modified roofing sheet for flat roofs. Almost 85% of this was generated on the German market where sales, at DEM 146.6m, were almost identical to the previous year. According to N. Erich Gerlach, chairman of the management at Lafarge Braas GmbH, every avenue is to be pursued in internationalising this, the company's smallest division, thereby creating economies of scale. When questioned, Gerlach confirmed that the sale of the Flat Roof division could not be excluded.
READER SERVICE: Detailed press information on the restructuring of Lafarge Braas GmbH and the course of business in 1997: PIE-No. 42730 – Lafarge Braas 1997 Annual Report: PIE-No. 42731 (all documents in German).
Lafarge Braas Roofing's worldwide operations take in not only Lafarge Braas GmbH but also the Lafarge Group's roofing material companies located outside of Europe – the latter with a business volume of some DEM 0.8bn. Both are pooled under a single management, with headquarters in Oberursel, which holds global responsibility.
As Berndt-Michael Winter, commercial director of Lafarge Braas, explained to journalists, the company further expanded its international position as a leading supplier of roof construction materials and chimney systems in 1997. Lafarge Braas GmbH increased sales by 3.2% to DEM 2.79m last year. The 3.4% drop in sales in Germany, brought about by the economic decline in the construction industry, was compensated by growth abroad. The Sloping Roof Division (roofing tiles) accounted for the biggest share of sales, at DEM 2.15bn. The operating result prior to extraordinary expenditure fell 5.4% to DEM 437.3m. According to Winter, this was due primarily to the operative losses of the roof window business at Braas Tageslichtsysteme GmbH, which was sold at the end of 1997.
No clear details were given on the future of the Flat Roof Division at the balance-sheet press conference in Frankfurt. In 1997, an overall business volume of DEM 175.8m (+5.3%) was achieved with high-polymer and plastic-modified roofing sheet for flat roofs. Almost 85% of this was generated on the German market where sales, at DEM 146.6m, were almost identical to the previous year. According to N. Erich Gerlach, chairman of the management at Lafarge Braas GmbH, every avenue is to be pursued in internationalising this, the company's smallest division, thereby creating economies of scale. When questioned, Gerlach confirmed that the sale of the Flat Roof division could not be excluded.
READER SERVICE: Detailed press information on the restructuring of Lafarge Braas GmbH and the course of business in 1997: PIE-No. 42730 – Lafarge Braas 1997 Annual Report: PIE-No. 42731 (all documents in German).
30.06.1998 Plasteurope.com [18590]
Published on 30.06.1998